


Rise Of Titan (Worm/Original Superhero Setting)

by ZFighter18



Category: Worm - Wildbow
Genre: F/M, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-01
Updated: 2016-07-02
Packaged: 2018-05-17 14:22:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 37
Words: 119,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5873881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZFighter18/pseuds/ZFighter18
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Greg Veder is a nerd. A socially awkward, obliviously obnoxious nerd who talks just a bit too much. Living in a world where superhumans walk amongst the regular people, all he wants is to be a hero and prove his worth. Evron Grey is a powerful reality traveler trapped in Earth Bet by a being beyond his power. Stranded in a backwards world without reputation, influence, and lacking friends, he meets a young man eager to be something more than human. </p>
<p>Greg Veder, welcome to Earth Bet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prelude 1: Falling Skies

> **Prelude: Falling Skies**

>   
>    
>  **Mitchell Pratt**   
> 

>   
>  My name is Mitchell Pratt. I'm 14 years old, half black and half Korean, and I am currently stuck in a lumpy bed when I should be enjoying my vacation Down Under. Two nights ago, my parents had taken me to a fancy restaurant that I really didn't feel like going to. My mother, a tiny little Korean woman, was on my back about my weight...again...and decided that I couldn't order a steak or burger and instead ordered me a Grilled Triggerfish, whatever that is. I know I'm fat. Everyone knows I'm fat. It's pretty obvious to tell when you're fourteen years old and two hundred and twenty pounds. I just wish she wouldn't bring it up all the time. Anyway, the good thing was that the fish came with a side of potato salad and actually tasted pretty good. The bad thing was that it gave me food poisoning.  
>   
> As I lay in bed, staring at how the patterns on the ceiling spun through my delirious eyes, I noticed a loud crashing and a scream that sounded oddly like my mother's. When the scream stopped, I heard my parents yelling at each other. Despite my best efforts, I really couldn't make out what they were saying so I made an effort to go back to sleep. To my surprise, my father burst through my door, with a duffel bag in one hand. "Mitch, get up! We have to go now!"  
>   
> I replied with an eloquent "Mmmwaah?"  
>   
> My father was not a very physical man. Standing at 5'9, he weighed roughly 190 pounds. He didn't lift weights. He didn't play basketball. He was an actuary, a profession I could seriously say was one of the most boring in the world. The only sort of physical exercise he did was play golf every other Sunday, if you could call golf exercise. Due to his lack of physical conditioning, I was surprised when he lifted me out of bed, threw me over his shoulder and ran through the house with an unnatural vigor.  
>   
> Despite my delirium, I noticed a very, very loud sound that seemed oddly familiar. A whining noise, like you might hear from a particularly large baby preparing to scream. The nasal ‘wa’ sound stretched out, so loud it was painful to listen to. Despite how familiar it was, I just couldn't remember where I knew it from. My father kicked open the door and ran out towards the van he had rented for our family vacation. He jumped in and tossed me in the backseat with a mumbled "Sorry, son", all the while screaming at my mother to drive. My mother pulled out of our rented beach house so quickly that I was beginning to wonder if I had suddenly been transplanted into an action movie.  
>   
> "Dad?" I groaned out.  
>   
> I looked up at my father and flinched as I saw the expression on his face. He was breathing heavily, sweat ran in rivulets down his face and he was constantly jerking his head around several times, as if attempting to look out every window at once.  
>   
> He turned around and looked down at where I lay on the backseat. I flinched again as I looked directly at him. God damn, I was sick and I was pretty sure I looked healthier than he did right now. His eyes were bloodshot and it looked like he was tearing up a little. No...no way, that's probably my imagination. Dad's not emotional like that.  
>   
> "Son...". he looked at me, waiting for me to begin.  
>   
> I coughed once or twice, in an attempt to clear my throat. "Dad, what..." I paused as I heard what was undoubtedly my mother crying, "Where are we going? What's happening? Why's mom crying?"  
>   
> My father's face twisted up. "We're heading to the Endbringer Shelter, Mitch. Canberra's being hit."  
>   
> I froze. That whining sound. Air raid sirens. How didn't I fucking notice it before? The Endbringer alarm. Wait a minute...  
>   
> "Which is it? Which one?" I asked as I forced myself to sit up, not willing to let my ill health prevent me from focusing.  
>   
> My father shook his head sadly. "We don't know. The news just told us what to do and where the shelter was. It didn't tell us which one was attacking."  
>   
> I prepared to ask another question when the minivan suddenly jerked and we skidded to a stop and I heard my mom's quiet voice. "Oh my God."  
>   
> My dad leaned forward until he was right next to my mother and I adjusted the seat in front of me until it was low enough for me to climb over.  
>   
> "Ran, what's the prob...."my dad trailed off as we all took in the sight in front of us.  
> In front of us were thousands of cars in a traffic jam that looked like it stretched for miles. People were getting out of their cars and running in the direction we had just come from.  
>   
> My dad wasted no time. "Okay...we have to go. They wouldn't be running this way if there wasn't a reason for it. We get out and we run. Ran, hold Mitch's hand and I'll grab yours. We can't afford to lose each other in this...insanity outside." He paused, took a deep breath and continued. "Ran, grab the bags". My mom nodded and turned to me. "Mitchie, honey, are you good to run or do you need help?" The concern and caring in her voice was evident in every word she said. I had found it embarrassing but in this situation, it gave me an odd feeling of strength and a warm comfort.  
>   
> I nodded. "I'm fine on my own. I'm definitely good."  
>   
> My dad glanced at me sharply. "Are you sure? I can carry you if you need it."  
>   
> 'Carry me? Please, I'm not a baby.', I thought to myself. I grimaced and shook my head.  
>   
> My dad nodded and jumped out, my mom and I right behind him. We began to run as soon as we jumped out of the minivan. The crowd jostled us and knocked us around, exacerbating my dizziness and nausea. My mom's hand grabbed mine in a vice grip as I stumbled and she gave me a reassuring smile.  
>   
> Looking at the mayhem around me, I felt myself getting sicker and my headache getting worse. People were being trampled underfoot due to not being quick enough, a few others had turned their cars around and were simply mowing down those too slow to get out of the way. Children were crying...no, not just children. women, grown men were openly crying. They just didn't want to die. The monsters, the Endbringers, didn't give a shit what they wanted. They had decided that today was our day to die and whether it was by water, heat, or mind control, a large number of us would die.  
>   
> I noticed my mother worriedly glance at me out of the corner of my eye.  
>   
> 'This has to be hitting her hard.' I thought to myself. 'This vacation was her idea. Hell, I know for a fact that she definitely feels bad that I'm sick because of that fish.' I had to make her feel better...somehow.  
>   
> I gave her hand a quick squeeze and she turned to me. "Sweetheart?"  
>   
> I gave her a smile that I hope seemed comforting. "Don't worry, Mom. We'll be fine, I'm sure."  
>   
> "Mitch is right, honey." intoned my dad in his deep baritone. "Everything will be alright."  
>   
> She smiled at both of us and I mentally added. 'At least I hope so. I'm almost out of breath and dad doesn't look much better.'  
>   
> The screams behind us suddenly increased in volume and intensity.  
> I turned my head and froze as I saw was undoubtedly the most terrifying thing I had ever seen in my life.  
>   
> She was at least half a mile away but I could see her as if she was right in front of me. She was at least three times as tall as any normal human with ivory skin, long white hair and so many, many wings and all asymmetrical. Despite the fact that she was completely naked, she had wings that covered all her "private parts", that is if she actually had any. Chunks of skyscrapers, pavement, cars and roadwork followed her, occasionally flying through the air to hit a target I couldn't see.  
>   
> My observations led me to one conclusion.  
>   
> "Oh fuck...the Simurgh" I rasped, my throat suddenly drying up in fear of imminent death or mindrape by psycho angel monster.  
>   
> The twin gasps of shock from behind me led me to the belief that my parents had come to the same conclusion I had.  
>   
> My fear dulled slightly as I saw what appeared to be a cloud of hundreds of flying parahumans attacking the monstrous Angel Of Death. 'Maybe they can chase her off, maybe we'll get lucky, maybe....'  
>   
> My attempts at self delusion were cut off as the Sadistic Seraph began her Scream. I pulled my hand from my mom's grip and clasped them over my ears in an attempt to block the noise. It didn't help at all. It was just so loud, so fucking loud. It came from everywhere at once. Even though I ran with my hands covering my ears, the unnatural sound persisted. A sound like a million tortured people screaming for the sweet release of death in unison. It hurt to hear. All I wanted to do was bash my head in so I could be free from the horrible noise that this monster was torturing us with.  
>   
> As the Simurgh continued to Scream, my headache and nausea only increased as the crowd went mad. Half the crowd slowed down and fights began to break out. It was madness. 'What are you doing?', I felt like screaming at what I saw. 'She wants us to die and you're just doing her job for her.' I felt a sudden sharp pain to the back of my head and I fell to the ground, smashing my nose on the ground, causing a white hot pain to erupt there.  
>   
> 'Shit! My nose!' I raised one hand to my nose, which was currently gushing blood, and another to feel a hot, damp mess that I could only assume was my blood and hair, and rolled over in an attempt to see my attacker.  
>   
> "...The hell?", was all I could vocalize due to my sheer surprise at my attacker. It was Mr. Wilden. He was a senior who lived in a beach house not too far from us. Seventy-four years old and retired, the only thing he had strength for now was fishing...and apparently, bashing kids in the head with his cane. I scrambled backwards and he kept swinging, trying to brain me with his blood-stained cane.  
>   
> I must have looked pathetic. Bloodshot eyes, bleeding nose, wearing nothing but Eidolon pajamas, and Armsmaster slippers, trying desperately to crawl away from a homicidal, Simurgh affected septuagenarian.  
>   
> I gritted my teeth. "Sorry about this, old man." With a sharp kick, my foot slammed into his knee. I was ashamed to realize that a small part of me enjoyed the look of pain on his face and the loud cracking noise that his knee made. I scrambled to my feet, purposely ignoring the howls of pain that came from the old man. 'It was him or me.', I thought to myself, 'He tried to kill me. I didn't even return the favor.'  
>   
> I prepared to run again and I felt a wave of nausea hit me as I realized that I couldn't see see my parents. Until Mr. Wilden had attempted to kill me, I had kept my eyes firmly locked on my mother's back, as my father was just slightly ahead of both of us, determined not to lose sight of my family.  
>   
> The Simurgh's Scream suddenly increased in volume and intensity. The million voices became ten million and I fell to my knees. The burning sensation of bile filled my throat, my eyes began to water and the contents of my stomach vacated my body, finding a new home on the pavement.  
>   
> I looked up toward the Screaming creature and watched in horror as some of the Capes fighting her began to explode. It made for a sort of gory fireworks and I began to giggle to myself.  
>   
> "We're all going to die", I whispered to no one in particular as I continued to laugh. I ignored the people who ran past me, seemingly unaffected by the Simurgh's unholy noise, just trying to get to safety. I ignored the mothers gruesome killing their children whatever way they could. I ignored the cannibalism, I ignored the murder, I ignored the suicide. I ignored all the DEATH. "This is it."  
>   
> I looked up towards the cause of everything that was happening. I wasn't scared anymore. I had accepted it. This was the end. I took in the Simurgh's appearance one more time. I don't know what I was thinking before. She wasn't monstrous, she wasn't sadistic. People died all the time. She wasn't doing anything bad. No, it was perfectly natural. She was getting closer with every passing second and I watched her, without moving from my place. I saw her beautiful snowy hair blowing in the wind, her expression peaceful, serene even. I imagined myself running my hands through those beautiful ivory wings, caressing her pale alabaster skin and placing a kiss on her beautiful, thin li-  
>   
> "What...WHAT THE FUCK?!!", I screamed out loud. My chest heaved as I tried to come to terms with what I was just thinking of. I began to dry heave and it was all I could do to prevent myself from throwing up.  
>   
> However, my freak out ended abruptly as the Simurgh stopped Screaming. She had frozen. Her wings stopped moving and all the massive detritus and debris held by telekinesis fell to the ground. All the Capes fighting her immediately dived for cover. No one attacked. Everyone was either hiding or attempting to get out of range. The civilians had stopped their mindless mayhem and simply stared at Her. Everything and everyone was deathly silent.  
>   
> The Simurgh tilted her head upwards. Seconds passed and nothing happened.  
>   
> Then, the sky broke apart and everything went insane.
> 
>  

 


	2. Prelude 2: Berserker from the Skies

**Prelude 2: Berserker From The Void**  
  
**Mitchell Pratt**  
  
Today was just not my day. I stood in a silent, unmoving crowd of people who, quite recently, were tearing each other apart, running for their lives and screaming at the top of their lungs. Some of them had somehow managed to do all three at once. All of us were looking right above us at the impossible sight that was hanging over our heads. By that, I don't mean the fifteen foot tall psychic murder angel. I had accepted her existence long ago and when she had appeared less than 15 minutes ago, I had been able to accept my death gracefully and all I had to do was suffer a mild psychotic break in return. 'Though I'm not sure if fantasizing about the Simurgh counts as simply a mild psychotic break', I thought worriedly.  
  
Hundreds of cracks, each at least a mile wide, appeared all over the sky, all of them converging at a spot hundreds of feet above the Simurgh, in a manner reminiscent of someone taking a bat to a windshield. The cracks continued to fracture and split, all the while making the most gruesome noise. For nearly a full minute, no one spoke, moved or breathed as we watched the sky fracture above us.  
  
Suddenly, with a loud shattering noise that sounded like the largest piece of glass in the world, the sky split open and the blue heavens above disappeared. What it exposed was almost indescribable due to how unearthly it was. So many colors, patterns and odd shapes that were just not normal appeared to everyone below. Oddly, despite the fact that I was seeing colors and patterns, I still saw the massive breach above us as nothing but a thick, black miasma that spread out from the rip in the sky. It seemed to pulsate as it creeped outward, stretching out until it completely covered the kaleidoscope that it originated from.

  
  
**"A new...reality set. Closed off from the Nexus. Very few of those. _INTERESTING._ "**

  
  
It was...creepy, to say the least, but I just couldn't stop looking at it. Every pulse seemed to mean something. It...it was almost as if it were SPEAKING to me.

  
  
**"A limited multidimensional existence but purely physical? How quaint...WAIT. What is that?...YOU!"**

  
  
I kept staring at it but the more I looked at it, the more my head began to hurt and soon I had a splitting headache that surpassed what I felt from the Simurgh.

  
  
**"You're perfect. I finally have a usable meat puppet of my own."**

  
  
I gritted my teeth and dug my fingernails into my palm until I drew blood but I couldn't stop looking. It...it was talking to me, I knew it! I couldn't look away until I...until...unti-

  
  
**"How precocious. Give it a few more aeons before you attempt to understand my existence."**

  
  
Wha...what was I thinking about? I felt a warm dampness on my upper lip and raised a hand to touch it. I gasped softly as I saw the source of the dampness on my hand. "Why is my nose bleeding?", I asked myself, my voice barely a whisper. Without warning, a sharp pain erupted in my head and I stumbled backwards, my hand reaching for something to steady me. I grabbed on to a shirtless blonde guy wearing a puka shell necklace and he nearly fell with me before I steadied myself. As I stood firmly on my feet, I tilted my head to look at him and he continued to stare upwards, his expression blank and dazed. I glanced around and realized it wasn't just him. Everyone was staring blankly upwards, even the capes. My eyes narrowed and I looked upwards at the most likely culprit. I realized the reason for everyone's unmoving silence wasn't fear. It was _**HER. **_ 'Of course it's _**HER**_.', I thought to myself as I gazed at her chalk white form, my mind filled with hatred and anger. 'Who else would it be?'  
  
**"You're oddly obsessed with her. I suppose it makes sense. She did do some interesting things with your mind."**  
  
  
The Simurgh's head tilted even further upwards and her eyes opened, the expression on her face shifting from her usual bored expression to a curious, almost inquisitive stare.  
  
The gaping void above twisted and there was suddenly an enormous weight pressing down upon me, nearly forcing me to my knees. Looking around, I realized that it wasn't just me feeling it. Everyone was either hunched over or on their knees, their eyes no longer dazed and unfocused. Even some flying capes were struggling to maintain their balance. The contradictory colorful/empty space shifted to a dark, bloody red and a figure slowly floated out from the breach directly above the Simurgh.

  
  
**"Finally. You're here."**

  
  
I squinted, struggling to make out their appearance. 'Who is that? Is it a new cape or something late to the fight?', I thought to myself, 'Fuck, I wish I could see.'

 

** "If you want." **

  
  
And suddenly, I could. As if my eyes were binoculars, my vision zoomed in and I could suddenly see the figure as if he were right in front of me. What "...the hell is going on today? No. Not the time. Definitely not the time for this. Look at whoever that is up there. See what's going on. Freak out later.", I spoke to myself, trying to alleviate my stress.  
  
**"Wonderful. We're a match now."**

  
  
It was a teenager, a boy at least a few years older than I was. He had snow white hair, inhuman black eyes with red pupils and pale skin with odd reddish-black veins and markings all over his body that were clearly visible against his ivory skin. His clothes were ripped and damaged but I could tell they were obviously well made. He wore an blue and black vest with a hood and tight fitting blue and black patterned pants with at least 3 loose belts hanging off his waist. He had a thick black choker around his neck with a blue gem in the middle. He had no shirt underneath the vest, allowing me to see an odd Tinkertech device that looked like it was fused into his skin. It was a metallic Y-shaped device with small circles at each extremity and a large one at the center. All of them glowed red. On his arms, he had large manacles that each had a large red, pulsing circle. His legs bore the same.

As he drifted out, the jagged tear in space and time slowly closed behind him, leaving the sky whole once more.  
  
Even though the breach had disappeared, the sky had not returned to it's normal blue. Instead, the sky was a deep red, the color of fresh blood. I looked closer and I realized why. Surrounding the new cape was a blood red aura that was at least twice his height. Somehow, he was changing the environment with his very existence. It flared like a bonfire as he floated closer to the Simurgh.  
  
'Why is he moving like that? Doesn't he realize that's the Motherfucking Simurgh right there?', I was stunned at the cape's behavior. His appearance was odd enough, 'Odd, as if. Those black eyes and the creepy black veins are straight scary. Weird pupils.', but the way he was casually meandering toward _**HER**_ was insane. 'It's like he has a death wish'  
  
**"Funny you should say that."**

  
  
  
I noticed the capes in the air and the ground had begun striking and blasting at the Simurgh with their fists and powers but SHE simply lifted whatever was around her and deflected all of their strikes as easily as she did before, her gaze still firmly locked on the new cape. The capes began to pull back as they noticed she wasn't attacking them but the tension was still thick in the air.  
  
The white haired cape reached Simurgh and they hung in the air, barely a few meters apart from each other. The Simurgh tilted her head and her expression of curiosity intensified, appearing almost frustrated. The cape stared back at Simurgh for an increasingly uncomfortable amount of time with the same blank stare he had when he appeared. The capes on the ground were unsure of what to do. The new cape and the Simurgh continued to stare deeply into each other's eyes. Without warning, his face twisted into an angry grimace and he threw his head back and let out a bestial roar, a sound that literally shook the ground and made my teeth rattle. Before SHE could react, he punched the Simurgh in her stupid face. I felt an all-consuming sense of bloodlust and sheer rage backed by a primal feeling of impossible, inhuman POWER from the pale cape.

  
I watched the Pale Lady fly backwards for about a hundred feet before she caught herself and she began to hurl cars, rebar, trees and whatever was within range at him with her TK. The mystery cape made no effort to dodge as none of the debris even touched him. They came close, but they missed by just enough that the raging cape didn't have to move. The Simurgh flew back and I was stunned by how much damage had been done to her. Cracks covered her body, and parts of her had deep furrows and strips torn out of her. She began to ascend but the unknown cape _**MOVED , **_

and was suddenly in front of the Simurgh once again. He roared and a sixty foot long gout of red and black flames shot from his mouth and completely covered the Simurgh. The fire faded and the Simurgh was still there, the flames apparently doing very little.

 

Most of her wounds had begun to heal and only a few small gashes on her body were left.

He roared in anger and _**BLURRED**_ and his fist slammed into her lily white body with such force and velocity that the ground hundreds of feet below began to shake and crack open. The buildings that the Simurgh did not entirely destroy began to crumble merely from the shockwave of his strikes. His entire body began to match the speed of his fists and feet and he started to move faster and faster, until he was completely invisible to my eyes. All I could see were the shockwaves from his hits and flashes of red on the Simurgh's body. His strikes were so powerful that each of them was comparable to a small nuke.  
  
The ground below me was shaking and rumbling. I froze as I realized everyone around me was screaming. The people around me were terrified. 'Why wouldn't they be? Their entire lives are ruined and even if the Simurgh leaves, we're never getting out of Canberra.', I thought bitterly to myself, 'They're not even running all that fast for all the noise they're making." All of them were screaming and running around like lemmings, unsure of where to go for safety as everything seemed to be falling apart from the force of the fight. The fight continued and the more the cape attempted to attack, the better the Simurgh began to respond. Every other strike began to miss, and the cape was being bombarded with steel rods that he merely slammed away with his bare fists. He dashed through the air towards the Simurgh like a giant bullet and was knocked back by a storm of of rebar, cars and glass that the Simurgh sent flying. Most of the items broke apart harmlessly on his durable skin but a thrown semi truck sent him hurtling into a half-demolished skyscraper, finishing the job.  
  
He pulled himself from the rubble and shot at the Simurgh, roaring like a madman and was slammed skywards by the force of the Simurgh crashing an apartment building into him. The Simurgh tilted her head and simply ripped several massive steel girders and rods from the frame of a demolished skyscraper. They rotated around her for a few seconds before shooting towards the dazed berserker, each of them producing audible sonic booms from the force of the Simurgh's telekinetic thrust. Fortunately, the cape was quick to recover. With midair acrobatics that were amazing to watch, he dodged each and every one. With the Simurgh's makeshift missiles rocketing into the atmosphere, he roared and his eyes began to glow a bright red. Multiple scarlet beams shot from his eyes towards the Simurgh. Most of them missed, scorching the ground and turning metal to slag. The few capes still in the midst of the fight between the two scrambled to escape the scarlet beams of fiery death. A few happened to hit the Simurgh, once again exposing her silvery insides for a second before they closed again.  
  
As I watched the fight between the two, I noticed that the red aura around the new cape had dimmed and the sky seemed to be turning a lighter shade of red. Compared to how he was when this fight started mere minutes ago, he was barely half as fast. My eyes widened in shock. "Shit, is he...he's getting weaker!"  
  
The white haired cape seemed to realize the same thing. He threw his head back and let out a roar once more. As he did so, thousands of marble sized red and black energy balls appeared above his mouth. With a blinding flash of red light, they were gone and the cape had a vicious grin on his face. I looked at the Simurgh and my eyes widened in shock. "Oh...my...god.",was all I could say. Half the Simurgh had completely vanished. Her entire lower half no longer existed. No legs, no lower wings, nothing below her waist was there at all. She looked like a statue someone had torn down. The Simurgh began to fly away at a high speed. The fact that she lacked half her wings didn't seem to be slowing her down in the slightest. He chased after her, screaming at the top of his lungs, unwilling to let her escape. Every charge, every lunge he made, every strike he threw at the Simurgh was dodged. He was too slow to touch her and the red continued to fade from the skies, and his aura continued to wane.  
  
They climbed higher and higher and I continued to watch, my vision reaching distances that I knew would normally require a telescope. She struck him with her telekinesis repeatedly, striking him with bits of metal, ripping apart his clothing and cutting him. For the first time since he had appeared, I saw him bleed. She threw an eighteen-wheeler at him, impacting him full force and he was sent flying upwards. She descended to the ground and she hung in the air, barely a hundred feet above the ground. The pale berserker recovered from her assault and his wounds healed over quicker than hers had and flew down to her, determined to finish what he had started. The White Angel face moved upwards toward the approaching cape and she...smiled at him.  
  
I looked upwards and began to shake in fear. Every single item she had thrown at him in the fight hung several miles above the city, held aloft only by _ **HER**_ will...and then they began to fall directly towards him. The cape continued to rush towards the Simurgh, completely oblivious of his impending doom. 'I have to warn him. I need to.' I gritted my teeth and I steeled myself, took a deep breath and prepared to let out a warning yell only to be interrupted by a female cape on the ground screaming out, "BEHIND Y-", before she was permanently silenced. The white haired cape paused and glanced towards the direction where the screaming cape formerly was only to see the bloody steel girder impaled four feet in the ground. A look of realization slowly crossed his face and he whipped around to gaze skyward only to be struck by a falling cement mixer.

I winced at the sound of his pained scream and he began to free fall. He crashed into the ground, carving out a deep trench with the force of his landing, and made and attempt to get up. He tried to move but a hail of cars, trucks, boats, houses, brick, rebar, girders, steel, iron, glass, wood, concrete prevented him from taking a single step. The barrage felt like it went on for hours despite the fact that it had been barely over a minute. Thousands of makeshift missiles rained down on him with sounds of thunder, leaving massive craters in the ground. With every powerful crash, the red began to fade from the sky until the sky was as blue as it had been in the beginning.

As soon as it stopped, Capes began to flood the sky, attacking the Simurgh. Her scream began again the second they began to fly towards her. Oddly, it wasn't anything like before. I felt pretty okay.

The Capes attacks were relentless, as if spurred on by the berserking cape. Alexandria was flying in the lead, throwing her powerful strikes at the Simurgh without much success. Eidolon was launching bolts of lightning at the Simurgh while simultaneously attempting to strike the Simurgh. Legend wasn't too far behind, throwing multicolored beams of light at the Simurgh, some zig-zagging and turning in attempts to strike her. The Simurgh seemed to be avoiding almost everything with an ease that dwarfed her earlier fights against the Triumvirate.

My eyes turned away from the intense battle above and towards where the cape was buried. Several capes were busy attempting to dig him out. A minute or so passed without much headway being made in lessening on the massive mountain of rubble that entombed the white haired cape and the Simurgh, still legless, was still dodging and blocking all the attacks from the Triumvirate and all the other parahumans. She wasn't even making any attempt to kill them. 'Is he...?', I wondered to myself, 'Is he dead? Could anyone survive that?'

As if in response to my question, the mountain of debris began to rumble and the Simurgh paused and turned around in the air, taking a blast from Legend directly to the chest. Her scream ended with a suddenness that was rather jarring. Her face had a look that I could only describe as a mix of annoyance and exasperation. In an explosion of blue light, the cape burst out from underneath his prison, sending debris, detritus and rescue capes flying.

His appearance had changed. The white had vanished from the majority of his hair, leaving only a thick white skunk stripe in the middle of his now black hair. The black veins that had stood out so firmly against his pale skin had disappeared. His eyes had shifted to a stunning, vibrant blue and the devices on his chest and limbs had lost their red glow, dimming to a pale blue. His scarlet aura had disappeared and the rage and madness in his eyes had disappeared, leaving behind a steely determination.

Raising his gloved hand to his face, he wiped blood away from his mouth and smirked. "Alright, bitch. Let's finish this!". And with that said, he vanished in a blue flash of light.

 


	3. Introductions 1.1

 

 

>   
>  **Introductions 1.1**  
>    
>  Evron Grey was confused. He was not really used to being confused. He liked to think that in his ten years of being a Super Hero, he had seen everything there was to see and in his defense, he had seen a hell of a lot. However, he had just spent the last few weeks fighting a war against an multidimensional empire and clashed with beings with enough power to destroy entire galactic quadrants.  
>    
>  In short, he was tired, he was hungry and he had used much more Zirin than was safe and ended up Redlining...again. He hated Redlining. After using too much of his own Zirin energy to where he was at the point of passing out, his body would attempt to stay awake at all costs, forcing him to fight every single thing he viewed as a threat to his existence. He barely remembered anything from his Redline and it always annoyed him to no end.  
>    
>  This time was hardly different. He had awoken on his hands and knees, buried under a huge pile of building materials and vehicles but he didn't really care about that. It wasn't the the first time, after all. He wasn't being crushed so whatever. He blinked rapidly as short flashes of memories hit him. "How the hell did I end up in a fight right after I just finished the last one?", he mumbled to himself with a resigned sigh,"Let's just get this over with." Evron closed his eyes, trying to gauge if he had enough in his internal reserve to take on this weird, crystalline angel monster that was rampaging in this city.  
>    
>  He let out a deep breath he hasn't realized he'd been holding and he opened his eyes. "Shit...I barely have enough", he spat through gritted teeth. He hated burning through his own Zirin when he was low like this. It wasn't painful, per se, but it felt like a million little insects running through his veins, increasing the sensitivity of his body with every tiny little step. 'Fuck, I've been in worse situations. First things first, let's get out of here.' His hands began to glow and he steeled himself.  
>    
>  Hunched over as he was, he slammed his knuckles together. With a pulse of blue light, the mountain of debris exploded, leaving him at the center of a wide crater. He looked up and noticed all the unfamiliar superheroes looking down at him. His eyes hardened as he spotted the weird crystal angel monster looking down at him. He shot a glare at the creature and wiped the blood from his mouth. "Alright, bitch...Let's finish this!", he said with as smirk.  
>    
>  Despite the confident look on his face, his bravado was forced. 'I'm not as fast as I should be right now. I have to make the most of what I have if I'm going to win this.'  
>    
>  "Everybody, out of my way!!!" Forcing Zirin to his legs, he jumped. Even to an enhanced eye, the Zirin-enhanced jump was so fast that he appeared to teleport directly in front of the Endbringer. Without pause, he swung a glowing fist at Her and was not surprised at all when she gracefully slid out of the path of his first punch. Strike after strike was thrown, combinations and chains of attacks were launched with precision and at the speed of sound. With every strike, waves of energy flew from his fists, most completely missing the angelic monster. The wayward blasts sent multiple parahumans scattering as they came too close for comfort. The blasts that landed on the ground ended up creating massive craters and scorching the land. One of his errant blasts struck a female cape in a black suit, sending her hurtling into one of the few buildings that were still standing. A cape wearing a green hood and cape rushed to blast at Ziz with some odd type of energy only to be slapped away by an antenna tower that the Simurgh was obviously controlling. Evron was too busy fighting Ziz to notice the effect his attacks were having on his environment or the other superhumans around him. 'How? She's not even moving that fast!', he screamed to himself, 'This makes no sense.'  
>    
>  He launched a spinning kick that was lazily dodged and flew backwards until he was no longer in close range with the Simurgh. He cupped his palms in front of him, making sure none of his fingers were touching each other, all the while dodging the various items the Simurgh launched at him. The space between his palms began to glow and a small sphere of vibrant blue light began to appear while smaller orbs formed on each of his finger tips and thumbs. With a sound like a cannon, the blue sphere between his palms became a powerful beam, rocketing towards the Simurgh. "Try and dodge this!!!", With that said, Evron immediately covered the beam with his fingers and the energy on his fingertips converged with the bright blue beam, turning it from a single beam into thousands of pencil-thin lasers intersecting each other.  
>    
>  With an ease that was becoming infuriatingly familiar, the Simurgh managed to avoid being hit by all of the small lasers and floated unhurt in the middle of Evron's laser grid. "No way in hell.", he spoke through gritted teeth. With a twitch of his fingers, the position of the lasers shifted. The Simurgh was still untouched. With another twitch, the position of the lasers shifted again. 'How in the hell is this bitch avoiding my Death Grid? I don't even know where the lasers will show up. It's completely random.' He let the Death Grid dissipate and shot a glare at the Simurgh, his eyes glowing a bright blue, and she stared back blankly at him with her white eyes. His eyes suddenly widened as he came to a sudden realization.  
>    
>  "You...oh my god...You're a Precog? A fucking Precog? That's what I've been worried about. This is ridiculous. I've been wasting all this time.", Evron chuckled as he spoke, a wide smile spreading across his face. "I'm going to rip you in half...again. Vertically this time.", he added after glancing at the Simurgh's partially regrown lower half. "...because apparently having no legs doesn't bother you at all." His blue eyes flashed and shifted to a deep, glowing emerald. The Tinkertech devices on his chest and limbs simultaneously changed to match his eyes and a hazy verdant aura sat just atop his skin.  
>    
>  His body began to vibrate and shudder and he clenched his fists. With a sound like an explosion, he disappeared, a shockwave spreading from where he previously hovered in midair. He reappeared directly in front of the Simurgh, his entire arm glowing greener than the rest of his body and pulled back for a powerful swing. His blow connected and the resulting sound was utterly deafening. A green wave of energy exploded from his fist as soon as he made contact, creating a massive cylinder of green energy that lanced through the ground, leaving a massive hole in the ground beneath them. Air was forced away from the epicenter of the strike, clearing the area of any dust and causing debris to fly through the air. The Simurgh was damaged, that much he could clearly see. Half her face was cracked open. The wings covering her chest were little more than silvery fragments, exposing Her androgynous chest. Large fragment of her skin were simply gone and cracks covered the majority of her porcelain skin. Despite this, he could **FEEL** that all this damage was merely superficial. She was still as capable as ever. He dashed away from the Simurgh and watch her drift from side to side to side as if dazed. 'It's not enough. She can't see where I am or where I'm going to be but that's not going to last forever.', thought Evron worriedly. 'God damn, this bitch is pretty durable for someone having this level of power.'  
>    
>  "One...Final", he clenched his fists and began to glow brighter and brighter, until he appeared to be a bright emerald sun in the sky, "...Strike!!!" Another wave of green energy shot out, this one seemingly doing nothing to affect the environment. The wave spread and spread, until it encompassed the entirety of Canberra and beyond. Everything was silent. Evron wheezed as he felt an extreme wave of exhaustion overtake him and he landed, lacking energy to stay afloat. 'That...that definitely took a lot...more than I thought.' He looked up through half-lidded eyes and nearly screamed in shock. 'She's still...How is she not down? The backlash from that should take down any Precog or Mind Reader. How...Shit...'  
>    
>  He felt the force before it hit him and he braced himself in preparation for the pain. It didn't help in the slightest. The wave of telekinetic force launched him upwards and he flew through the air. As he reached the apex of his flight, another blast of TK struck him and he felt his arm shatter. 'I shouldn't have held back. If I had gone full out, this wouldn't be happening.' His thoughts were interrupted as a massive, house-sized piece of concrete and steel slammed into him, sending him hurtling downwards. 'This is my fault.'  
>    
>  He fell toward the ruins of the city below. This was the end. His last attack had cost him what little energy he had left. Everything he had done was for nothing. He landed on his back and a sickening crack was heard. His body was broken and he was too drained to move. He couldn't feel anything below his waist and his heart wrenched as he realized how truly vulnerable he was. His chest exploded with pain and he spit up a gout of blood. A thin steel rail had fallen from above, piercing his chest and it took all he had not to scream his head off. His body was already hyper-sensitive due to his Redline and his normally extremely high pain tolerance was forced to the limit. Parahumans began to attack en masse again, determined not to let the Simurgh succeed. Waves of abnormally powerful TK knocked back nearly every cape from within reach of the Simurgh, sending them flying back or crashing to the ground.  
>    
>  Evron looked up at the Simurgh hovering directly above, five more thin steel rods floating around her. With four sharp thuds, the rods landed, piercing through each one of his limbs, nailing him to the ground.  
>    
>  A scream of pain ripped from his throat before he forced it down. Another steel rod hung high above him, aimed directly at his head. "...not...like this", he croaked, "...home!" The rod began to drop. Fear filled his eyes. "One...Thirty...Eight...HB Five!" A bright flash of blue light appeared, obscuring his body. Before it even landed, it was knocked aside by a rainbow colored beam from high in the sky.
> 
>   
>  **\- ~0~ - ~0~ - ~0~ - ~0~ - ~0~ - ~0~**
> 
>  

> Evron appeared in what, from what he could tell, was an alley. His vision was beginning to darken but he could definitely make out the orange tint of the sky, telling him that the sun was just about to set. Brick walls, covered in ugly graffiti, surrounded him on both sides. Slow, nervous footsteps made their way towards him. He looked up, wincing at how even the slightest movement nearly elicited a scream of pain. A tall, lanky awkward looking teen stood above him, mouth agape at the sight of his damaged, blood covered body. That was the last thing he saw before everything went black.

 

 

 


	4. Introductions 1.2

Introductions 1.2

 

Evron awoke to a dull, constant ache in his joints and chest as well as a throbbing pain in his head. The pain in his muscles was nothing he hadn't felt before but the headache was enough to be a mild annoyance. He blinked and shook his head several times to clear the throbbing pain away. His sight began to clear and he was finally able to see his surroundings. It was...quaint. A small room with some type of...ancient computer in the corner. The walls were covered with faded posters of superheroes that he didn't recognize and various unfamiliar superhero memorabilia littered the room.

Evron felt the fog lift from his head and he suddenly realized that he was not alone in the room. A teenage boy sat in a chair directly across from him. A mop of untidy blonde hair was the first thing he noticed. The second was the wide eyed look of excitement on the stranger's face.

"...Hey", he said, cautiously.

"You're awake!",began the blonde excitedly, "I thought you were dead, you know, 'cause you had huge holes all over your body and you were bleeding everywhere and blood was everywhere and I was freaked out 'cause I didn't know what to do butthenyouwereglowingandeverythingandthenyoustoppedbleedingand-"

Evron rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed as the kid began to ramble and go off on tangents. This always happened when he met fans. He couldn't blame the guy. He must have gotten a shock when he appeared out of nowhere all beaten and bloody. However, Evron still had a headache and the blonde's nonstop talking was only aggravating it.

"andyourheartwasgonelitteralynotihingwhereyourheartwassupposedtobeandiwaslikewhoathisguy'sdefinitelydeadbutthenyouwerentandiwaslikewhoaagainand-"

"DUDE!", shouted Evron. The blonde shut up, blue eyes widening in shock at the sudden increase in volume. "Okay. Didn't mean to scare you, man. I was just worried you were about to pass out. You know, cause you weren't breathing.", he continued, the jibe flowing off his tongue naturally.

The blonde scratched the back of his head as a sheepish expression spread across his face. "Heh...sorry. It's a bad habit. I tend to talk a lot. Sorry." He gulped nervously and put his arm out. "My name's Greg, by the way. Greg Veder. Sorry about my room. I'm kind of a cape geek, if you haven't already guessed." His expression somehow became even more embarrassed.

Evron took his arm with a confident grin and gave it a firm shake. "Name's Evron Grey but, of course, you already knew that. "

Greg looked stunned. "Your real name?! Really?!"

"Of course. I've only used my real name for about three years now." Evron's expression became confused at the odd look on Greg's face. "It's me...Evron....Grey. Titan...Have you been living under a rock? It's me!"

Greg shrugged. "I have no idea who you are, man. You must not be that famous if nobody mentions you on PHO, especially if you use your real name. I'm there all the time and I never heard about you. Maybe you're just a lot less important than you think you are." Greg smiled nervously as he finished talking.

"L-less...less important than I think I am?", spluttered Evron," You have to be joking. I am literally the most important on Earth. I've saved the entire world way more times than you could count! I'm the leader of Titanwatch! I run Grey Incorporated! How do you not know me?!", he screamed.

Greg jumped up and waved his arms, trying to calm Evron down. "I'm sorry! I'm sorrysorrysoryy! You're probably super famous! I don't know what I'm talking about, man!!!" 'Oh my god, I'm alone in the house with a cape who's definitely insane. I'm gonna die!'

Evron closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "You know what, it doesn't matter. You obviously know nothing at all about...anything. I'm gonna make a call. Be quiet for like thirty seconds."  
Evron raised his arm until one of the metal Tinkertech devices was level with his mouth. " Sia, contact Anton Mercer."

The device beeped once and spoke in a digital imitation of a low pitched female voice. "Unable to contact Anton Mercer. Contact information invalid."  
"What are you talking about?! Contact Dana Grey!" "Unable to contact Dana G-" "Contact Craig Keller!" "Unable to contact Crai-"

"Shit!", he cursed loudly, oblivious to Greg's growing anxiety. 'This can't be. I should be able to reach them no matter how far away they are. Unless...no...not...' Evron felt his heart drop into his stomach as he realized something. "...Sia, access the Net and give me information on known hero Evron Grey or hero group Titanwatch."

A Second later, a beep was heard. "No information was found on known hero Evron Grey or hero group Titanwatch.", reported Sia.

Evron jerked his head over to Greg, who had been attempting to sneak out of the room while Evron was occupied. "Greg?"

The blonde jumped nervously and gulped. "Y-yeah..." 'So close...'

"What year is this?" Evron asked, his face blank of emotion.

"2-2-...2011...why?", he responded anxiously.

Evron sighed. "...no reason but for some reason, THE UNIVERSE FUCKING HATES ME! How could this happen again?"

"What happened...again?", Greg wondered.

Evron stood up from Greg's bed and let out another deep breath. "Greg, lets just say...I'm not from around here."


	5. Interlude 1a (Ziz)

>   
> Interlude 1a: Inhuman Perspectives   
>   
> Ziz 1  
>   
>   
>   
> 
>
>> (Lower Earth Orbit, Earth)  
>   
> Her senses were gone. The tools that she had relied on since the moment of her creation in order for her to carry out the task had been removed. No...not removed. Limited...no...altered, changed, warped. Yes, warped.  
>   
> She could barely track a few existences, let alone the multitudes she used to monitor. She saw no fulcrum points, no possibilities. She could no longer track like she once did, no longer sense and comprehend the actions that once were and she now lacked the ability to comprehend the many possibilities in store.  
>   
> The information she had gathered prior to this point was there but the understanding that she had was lacking. She knew what it meant, of course, and she could act on it and attempt to set new paths that she could track but it would not be worth it. Without her full capabilities, it would be a childish fumbling compared to her once masterful, subtle proddings.  
>   
> She had a task to complete but how would she complete said task without the proper tools? It could be done...but it wouldn't be done right. Her postcognition was limited to the data she had already collected and she could not extrapolate the actions of those she had not tracked without gathering data of their past but now lacked a method of doing so. She could still perceive some future actions but without the constant analysis of her postcognition, she could not separate the pivotal elements from the trivial. It was all a scattered mess of information and it frustrated her. She could still see one target at a time. One target...only one among billions? She was essentially blind. She had what little data she had collected of the past but she could not use that to extrapolate the multitude of possibilities that could be. No past...no future...  
>   
> She thought back to the last time she had access to her full abilities, the moment when the Anomaly appeared. Her pretercognition had begun weakening and at some points during the encounter with the Anomaly, stopped working entirely. It was as if he did not exist at all. She could not extrapolate. She could not control his excretions, manipulate his senses, nothing at all. She had been forced to focus all her attention on her precognition in order to prevent her premature termination. Self-preservation was the only goal she could focus on. This had left her vulnerable for some time and the Anomaly had taken advantage of her weakness, damaging her more than she had even been before. She had gained the upper hand but she knew this was not due to any effort on her part. The Anomaly had exhausted itself and she had attempted to terminate It's existence but It had escaped before she could complete It's termination. Her abilities had fallen to their current state shortly before the Anomaly had disappeared entirely. A feeling of annoyance overcame her at the thought of the Anomaly and how It had been nearly invisible to her sight. Annoyance...odd. Emotions were not relevant to the task. She did not feel. She was not created with the ability to feel.  
>   
> She felt the brush of atmospheric wind on her crystalline skin and she tilted her head at the odd sensation. She was confused. She had no sense of touch. She was not supposed to feel. Emotions were not relevant, completely unecessary...yet she had them. The Simurgh opened her white eyes and froze. For hours, she hung in the exact same position, no longer following the orbit of the planet. The Simurgh saw. She saw everything. What could only be described as a smile covered her face as she gazed upon the Earth below.
>> 
>>  
> 
>  


	6. Glossary Of Terms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> These are terms that will be receiving heavy use in later chapters. Wanted to get them out of the way now.

 

 

>   
>  **Glossary Of Terms**  
>    
>    
>  **Archetypes:** An Archetype is a set of primary powers that classify a Superhuman. **Paragon** ; Flight, Strength, Speed, Durability, Energy Projection, Enhanced Senses, Enhanced Mental Processes. **Tank** ; Strength, Durability. **Runner** ; Speed, Agility. **Bruiser** ; Strength, Speed, Durability. **Battery** ; Energy Projection, Energy Absorption, Energy Manipulation. **Brain** ; Enhanced Mental Processes. **Renegade** ; Mental Control. Precog; Precognition. **Hunter** ; Enhanced Senses. **Jumper** ; Teleportation. Shifter; Physical Manipulation. **Bestial** ; Animal Physiology.  
>    
>  **Blank:** A normal human without any enhancements or mutations, naturally occurring or induced.  
>    
>  **Church of Health, Prayer and Love :** Colloquially known as the Cult of Love, they worked with the Imagination Foundation to create the creatures that H.P. Lovecraft wrote about in order for them to worship. They were surprisingly successful.  
>    
>  **Enhanced Human:** A human that undergoes a procedure in which they are modified using the genetic information of Superhumans.  
>    
>  **Gene Modification:** A procedure in which a normal human is modified into an Enhanced Human using the collected DNA and genetic information of Superhumans.  
>    
>  **Global Security Agency:** An organization created by the United States that was taken over by the United Nations. Created in 2030, it was originally the Mutant Control Agency.  
>    
>  **Grey Incorporated:** International business conglomerate formerly run by Evron Grey's father, Richard M. Grey. Evron Grey took over after his father and grandfather were found dead under mysterious circumstances.  
>    
>  **Imagination Foundation:** A large group of mad scientists determined to create the monsters and creatures found in fantasy works from dragons to zombies, werewolves and vampires. They were very, very successful.  
>    
>  **Iceberg:** A world famous Charity organization that has been around for over 300 years. Known ties to Evron Grey.  
>    
>  **Justice:** Founding Member of Freedom Guard. Brain AT, Runner AT, Hunter AT.  
>    
>  **Korath:** An empire of former galactic conquerors who worship the Nexus and Evron as his successor for granting them powers. The average Korath adult is a trained fighter able to lift 250-500 tons and run at speeds exceeding 500 miles an hour. A member of a noble house is expected to be at least 100 times as powerful while the Royal Family is at least two hundred times as strong as any member of a noble house.  
>    
>  **Liberty:** Formerly Lady Liberty, she is considered the most powerful female superhuman on Earth. Founding Member of Freedom Guard. Paragon AT.  
>    
>  **Mayhem:** Group of powerful mutant terrorists who believe mutants are the strongest predators on Earth. They regularly caused mass killings and disasters. All members killed by Titanwatch. Founding Members; Mastermind, Riff, Pierce, Killing Machine, Godiva, Schadenfreude, Ubermensch and Romero.  
>    
>  **Metahuman:** An empowered individuals who gain superhuman abilities but possess no Zero Gene. Metahumans tend to develop powers in areas of high **Zirin** concentration or areas of high **Superhuman** activity. They have high potential for natural power growth and are the lowest at risk for Power Incontinence  & Power Overload. They tend to be rather weak but their abilities grow in power with both age and experience.  
>    
>  **Mutant:** An empowered individual whose abilities are due to the **Zero Gene** found in 80% of Evron's Earth. A Mutant's powers appear in times of extreme stress and or near-death. A Mutant can manifest between the ages of 8-38. Mutants tend to possess more powerful abilities than Metahumans, Transhumans and Enhanced Humans but have little to no potential for natural power growth. Mutants are at a higher risk of **Power Incontinence** & **Power Overload** than both Trans and Metas.  
>    
>  **Mutant Riots:** The Mutant Riots were an international attack on the world's governments led by Patient Zero's group of mutant terrorists and human supporters in 2050. This led to the governments of several European, African and South American countries collapsing entirely and the UK to return to the days of the absolute monarchy.  
>    
>  **Nexus:** The Nexus refers to one extradimensional being who is the origin of all superhuman abilities in the near infinite numbers of reality sets it controls. It is essentially omnipotent, and gains enjoyment from life by living it through the eyes of a lesser sapient, it's host Evron Grey.   
>    
>  **Paragon:** Formerly the world's strongest superhuman and leader of the Freedom Guard, he was killed in a fight by Evron Grey after going berserk. Paragon AT.  
>    
>  **Patient Zero:** The first natural mutant ever known. He is also the cause of the Zero Virus being released which led to the death of hundreds of millions and the rise of the Zero Gene in the population.  
>    
>  **Power Incontinence:** An affliction that effects many Superhumans with physical abilities. In individuals with speed based powers, it manifests as a period of intense hyper acceleration colloquially referred to as "The Jitters". In individuals with high durability, it manifests as Insensitivity to External Stimuli and Total Sensory Deprivation.  
>    
>  **Power Overload:** An affliction similar to Power Incontinence that, instead of affecting those with physical abilities, affects those with energy based powers. They tend to cause much more collateral damage than Power Incontinence.  
>    
>  **Reality Set:** Every instance of a known universe. Example: Every Harry Potter Fic exists in one reality set.  
>    
>  **Reapers:** An underground gang centered in the US that hunts low powered mutants and strips them of their organs and vital fluids.  
>    
>  **Superhuman:** A term used to refer to Enhanced Humans, Metahumans, Mutants, and Transhumans as a whole.  
>    
>  **Syndicate:** A shadowy criminal organization that is believed to control organized crime internationally. Suspected ties to Evron Grey.  
>    
>  **Titanwatch:** Originally a United States sponsored superhero team for the best heroes in the world, it was secretly a method to monitor, manipulate and control the strongest Superhumans. It was rendered useless by the GSA's Freedom Guard. It was later revived as the world's premier super team by Evron Grey AKA Titan and currently serves as the world's government.  
>    
>  **Transhuman:** A superhuman that possesses their powers from birth. They possess similar or identical powers to their parents/other family members and their offspring will possess the same or similar powers. Average potential for power growth. Less powerful than Mutants but More so than Metahumans.   
>    
>  **Zirinium:** An element not native to Earth that was found in large quantities on Earth in a meteor shower in 2010. This element is very unstable and has been documented to have mutagenic properties. Superhumans have been found to produce a variant called Zirin which powers their abilities.
> 
>  
> 
>  

 


	7. Introductions 1.3

>   
>  **Introductions 1.3**   
>    
>    
> 

> > "You're an alien?!" Greg jumped to his feet, moving so suddenly that his chair skidded on the wooden floor and slammed into his wall.  
>   
> For the third time since he had met Greg, another sigh fell from Evron's throat. "Greg, I didn't say that I wasn't from Earth. I said that I'm not from this Earth. I'm not an alien... _Technically, I'm not human anymore, though_."  
>   
>  Greg scrunched his eyebrows together together and tilted his head slightly. "What? So, you're from another universe like Earth Aleph?"  
>   
> "You guys already made contact with another universe? Already? When?" It was now Evron's turn to be confused.  
>   
> Greg nodded quickly. "Yeah, I don't really remember when we found out about Earth Aleph. I think it was about like a long while ago. A cape made a doorway or something to Aleph and then Aleph started getting Capes. Weak Capes, though."  
>   
> "Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm not from Earth...Aleph."  
>   
> "How do you...know that? I mean, for sure?" Greg said, his visible Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed nervously.  
>   
> “How long have people had powers on this Earth, Greg?" Evron's eyes flickered over to the computer Greg sat in front of and the large amount of superhero memorabilia that he found completely unfamiliar.  
>   
> Greg shrugged. "I guess about thirty years."  
>   
> Evron slowly paced around the room, eyes still analyzing the entirety of Greg's room. "On my Earth, nobody had powers until the year 2025 and it's been over three hundred years since then..."Evron paused and stared at Greg as he began to splutter and cough.  
>   
> "Thr-thr...three h-hundred years. That's crazy...Wait. I call bullshit." Greg calmed his breathing and gave Evron a disbelieving look as his voice took on a derisive, mocking tone. "Oh...okay...first, you're from another Earth, then you're from the future. Suuuuureee....I get that you're a Cape and that's really cool. It really is." Greg's voice shifted from mocking to patronizing as if Evron were a small child who believed in fairy tales.  
>   
> Unmindful of the blank look on Evron's face, Greg continued on. “You have a power, that's awesome. Sure, all you can do is heal yourself but that's still pretty cool. I mean, you're no Alexandria or Eidolon but you don't have to make stuff up to make yourself feel better." Greg smiled at Evron as he finished, oblivious to how condescending his little pep talk was.  
>   
> "You done talking?" Evron asked, his face the very picture of bored annoyance. "Good. Listen close, Greg. On my Earth, information about alternate realities is a really good secret. Like, the type of secret that would get a regular person a visit from some not-so-friendly guys in black suits if they found out. It's not something that a random guy like you would know about."  
>   
> Greg nodded silently and looked at the ground, his face burning in embarrassment.  
>   
> "Greg, I'm gonna leave.”, said Evron after a short pause.  
>   
> Greg stammered. "Why? I thought you could stay for a while till you healed up."  
>   
> "I'm healed, dude. Right now, I'm just a bit drained." He raised a hand to brush a lock of hair out of his eyes. "Look, I'm glad you picked me up off the street but I need to get back to my own universe. I can't do that here. Trust me, you DON'T want me to do that here. I assume you like your house in one piece."  
>   
> "So you're really a big time Hero? Like Eidolon?" Greg asked, eyes wide with excitement.  
>   
> Evron smirked and zipped up his hoodie, hiding the device on his chest. "I have no idea who the hell that is but yeah, the biggest. Everyone on my Earth and a couple others know the name Evron Grey. I've fought the biggest, baddest, strongest villains ever and me and my team...heh...we don't lose. "  
>   
> Greg took in a shallow breath. "Cool..."  
>   
> Evron turned around, facing Greg's window.  
>   
> "Wait!" Greg called out," Can't we talk about, you know, your Earth a bit more first? Before you leave, I mean." 'Come on man, don't go yet. You're the first Cape I've ever talked to.'  
>   
> Without even turning around, Evron responded. "I really can't do that, Greg. I have to start heading home. My friends need me. My world needs me. It was...uh...interesting talking to you. Some advice; just take it from me, learn to relax a bit. You're kind of all over the place."  
>   
> Greg gave him a sad smile. "Yeah, a couple of people have mentioned that I am kind of...awkward."  
>   
> Evron turned his head, returning Greg's smile. "You'll be fine, man. Thanks for letting me use your bed, by the way. See ya. "  
>   
> With that, Evron leapt out Greg's open window.  
>   
> Greg ran to his window and looked out to see Evron already high above his house flying away. "So cool...That was unreal. I've got to tell people on PHO about this." He sunk into his chair and was about to enter said forum when he heard his front door open and a voice called out.  
>   
> "Greg, honey, I'm home. I hope you don't mind. The store was out of the chips you like so I got you-OH MY GOD, IS THIS BLOOD?!!!"  
>   
> Greg felt his heart drop into his chest. 'Shit! I forgot to clean the blood he left on the door! I'm so dead. Mom already saw it.'  
>   
> "GREG? GREG?!!"  
>   
> 'I save a hero and this is what happens. Fuck you, Karma!'  
>   
> "GREGORY LUCAS VEDER! GET DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW!!!"
>> 
>>  
> 
>  


	8. Information On Titanwatch (Spoiler Alert)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Read these spoilers only if you want to find out some backstory about Evron and Members of Titanwatch without waiting for the entire story.

 

 

**Evron Daniel Grey Aka Titan.**   
Extremely Rich, charismatic, arrogant and playful white teenage boy. Has sadistic and sociopathic/psychopathic tendencies. Suffers from occasional bouts of megalomania and beliefs of godhood. Son of Richard Malcolm Grey and Daniella Grey, brother to Dana Rachel Grey. Grey family possesses transhuman ability to control, manipulate and dominate using voice or physical cues. Grey Family is the Syndicate, a shadowy organization that has controlled the world for over two hundred years. Current head is elder Sister Dana Grey. Both parents are currently dead. Became a Hero at 14 Years Old with best friend Anton Mercer. Chronologically 20 years old, Biologically 17. Lost powers and became a leader of a highly infamous gang of Supervillains at the age of 16. Was murdered eight months later. Brought back by father's scientists. Never stops smiling because "Smiling is the best way to piss people who don't like you off." Due to side effects caused by his former addiction to power granting drugs, he sometimes gets cravings for human flesh. Has Disassociative Personality Disorder based on some of his emotions; Rage, Fear, Pride, Happiness, Sadness, Logic Each Personality has a power-set specific to them. Also has control issues that he attempts to temper.

  
**Anton Mercer AKA Atlas**  
Evron's best friend since the age of 6 and serves to ground him. 7'9", 2,400 lbs. Anton is a massive, musclebound behemoth with a perfect V-shaped torso, mixed race; Father is white, mother is black. Currently twenty-one years old. Has one younger brother, age 15 and two twin sisters, age 12. All are powered. Anton honestly believes in Truth, Justice, Loyalty, Honesty and other virtues and believes in Personal Responsibility. Has a strong desire to obey authority. He is unaware that his virtues were preprogrammed into him by his is Aaron Mercer, formerly Arthur Michaels AKA Patient Zero; the creator of the Zero Gene and wanted mutant terrorist. Anton and his twin sister Eva, were not born naturally like their other siblings. Created as the perfect and strongest mutant soldiers before their father decided to change his mind, the twins are extremely smart and have knowledge on nearly every martial art. Powers: Super Strength(Estimated to be roughly in the range of septillions of tons), Super Speed (Limit is Mach 24), Flight(35 million miles an hour) Durability(Immune to all forms of external physical damage. However, can still feel pain from strikes above a certain force. Bones unbreakable as well.) Transforms into a 12 ft wolf at will.

  
**Craig Keller AKA Tech Head**  
Evron and Anton's friend for years. 22 years old. Formerly Lazy and and extreme slacker. Widely known as the smartest person on Earth, Craig has created many devices and discoveries that revolutionize life as we know it. Craig assisted Evron and Anton's superhero career for over a year and a half by producing equipment for them to use. He was attacked by the Villain group Mayhem and after ripping off one of his arms and mangling one of his legs, they left him to die. However, Craig survived and rebuilt himself. With a body that is now techno-organic and outfitted with the most advanced weaponry Earth has ever seen, Craig can go toe to toe with some of the strongest in the universe. Powers: Eidetic Memory, Total Recall, Accelerated Probability, Causality Perception, Accelerated Mental Development, Hypercognition, Accelerated Thought Processes, Detail Intuition, Technokinesis, Parallel Processing, Enhanced Intelligence. Highly skilled in Nanorobotics, Bionic Physiology, Mechanical Augmentation, and Weaponry Design.

  
**Cesar Cortes AKA Mantis**  
Friend of both Anton and Evron. Friendly rival to Craig. Best Friend of Alexandre Pistris. Cocky enough to annoy Evron slightly. Loves to crack jokes and shoot large weaponry. Skilled in robotics and vehicle design. Powers: Any Insectoid Physiology/Transformation, Flight, Enhanced Speed, Enhanced Strength, Danger Sense, Enhanced Metabolism, Adhesive Skin, Limited Insect Control. **DECEASED.**

  
**Alexandre Pistris AKA Megalodon**  
Alex is a clone of his father that his father commissioned after his mother gave birth to a daughter and she was stillborn. His father is a mutant with Shark Transformation abilities. Unlike his mutant father, Alex is a transhuman who possessed his abilities from birth. His father is also a cannibal and attempted to raise him to eat meat the same way he does. After his mother protested when she realized what his father was doing, his father killed Alex's mother on Alex's tenth birthday and locked Alex in a cell with his mother's dead body for over over two weeks until Alex finally gave in and ate her rotting corpse to survive. Alex is a withdrawn, quiet guy and a piercing stare. Powers: Super Strength, Enhanced Speed. Durability. Hydrokinesis. Shark Physiology/Transformation. Electroreception. Enhanced Hearing. Enhanced Smell

  
**Eldritch Rosington-Craven AKA Black Suit AKA Nyarlathotep**  
Eldritch Craven was not born naturally. His mother, a beautiful young teenager with mental issues and a love of horror stories, was led away from her privileged environment into a life of drug abuse by her then boyfriend Jackford "Jax" Craven. After she ran away from home, Jax got tired with her and sold her to a group who were looking for young pregnant runaways. She was then brainwashed and her fetus was then altered to create a sick twisted monster for the Church of Health, Prayer and Love to worship. Eldritch was their first success. His birth ended up killing his mother but he absorbed her and slaughtered every cultist and scientist in the facility. El always wears a black suit with black shirt and black sunglasses. His eyes are usually black with no pupils. Sadistic, cannibalistic, predatory, mocking and terrifying are some adjectives that could be used to describe one of Earth's greatest heroes. Powers: Biological Matter Absorption, Infinite Digestive System, Redundant Physiology, Digestive Assimilation, Immortality, Evolution, Total Shapeshifting, Complete Body Manipulation, DNA Manipulation, Tendril Creation, Tendril Manipulation Enhanced Eating, Dimensional Manipulation, Dimensional Travel, Dream Manipulation, Dream Travel, Shadow Travel, Shadow Manipulation, Teleportation, Invisibility, Illusion Manipulation, Danger Intuition, Enhanced Senses, Imperceptibility, Inaudibility.

  
**Angelo Quinnley AKA Steve**  
Steve is the transhuman son of mutant criminal and cult leader Madman; a former comedian who gained powers when his original family died due to him falling asleep at the wheel. White, Very tan. Died at the age of 19. thin but 's power is the ability to get stronger, faster, more agile when He is laughing or People are laughing with him. Is a bipolar manic depressive/has logorrhea(Can't stop talking). Uses swords and a lot of guns. Former villain along with Evron Grey. Obsessed with guns, weaponry and working for Evron. Died with girlfriend Kunoichi taking out his father and the majority of his cult. Powers: Laughter Empowerment, Enhanced Strength, Enhanced Speed, Enhanced Senses, Enhanced Agility. Skilled in Sword Use, Skilled Sniper, Rapid Regeneration. **DECEASED.**

  
**Luther Holt AKA Equip**  
Friend of Evron Grey. Black, killed at the age of 18 by the terrorist group Mayhem. Transhuman with the ability to infuse almost any superpower into items worn on his person after touching someone with the power. Left behind a girlfriend and a newborn son, little brother and mother. Powers: Power Infusion, Suit Up!, Power Suit. **DECEASED**

  
**Princess La'ia'rai of Khorath AKA Lia AKA Princess**  
42 years old, looks 16. Thin, 5"5'. Princess of the Kheran, Liara was worshipped and expected to be a godlike warrior with strength surpassing all others, as all members of the Royal Family were. However, due to the brutal treatment of her vicious, cold-hearted mother, the Queen, and the experience of watching her parents kill each other in front of her, Liara is very kind and gentle, almost pacifistic; something considered anathema by her conflict, power and dominance based society. Liara, as well as all in the multigalactic Korath empire, worship the Existence known on their planet as "The True Burning Star". She believes the same as all Kheran do, that the Existence will one day return to them after finding a host.  
After traveling to Earth with her brother to conquer it and find the Existence, she met Evron, realized he was the host of the Existence, and swore subservience to him. After being immediately rejected, she stayed on Earth and Evron began to warm to her. Soon they were dating. They are now engaged. All Kheran possess an ability called Bloodrage that activate when pushed to the limit and enraged. It enhances their strength and speed extremely while limiting their cognitive functions. When in Bloodrage, Liara's blonde hair displays red highlights and displays a split personality that contains the rage, bloodlust, and cruelty her mother taught her.  
Powers: Super Strength(When Angry, her strength rivals Anton's), Super Speed (When Angry, can reach fractions of Light Speed), Flight, Zirin Projection, Zirin Control. Teleportation. Healing. Resurrection. Biological Manipulation.

  
**Takumi Himura AKA Kunoichi**  
Raised as a ninja and trained from the age of 2, Takumi is one of the world's deadliest killers. She literally can't feel fear. Assisted by a thin alien bodysuit, she is leagues above any human in nearly any physical skill. Died with boyfriend Steve. Powers: Enhanced Agility, Enhanced Strength, Enhanced Speed, Enhanced Flexibility, Enhanced Endurance, Enhanced Durability, Enhanced Dexterity, Enhanced Senses, Memory, Intelligence, Reflexes, Marksmanship, Reflexes, Instincts. **DECEASED**

  
**Dana Rachel Grey Aka Lioness**  
Born to Richard and Daniella Grey, she was sent to her aunt at the age of 3 to be raised by her as her daughter after her mother died shortly after giving birth to her little brother. Due to her aunt's inappropriate tendencies, Dana grew up knowing how to manipulate and seduce grown men by the age of 8. She is also a kleptomaniac who cares little for the value of items and is willing to steal costume jewelry if it catches her eye. She hates her father and the last name Grey with a passion but softened to her dad shortly before he died. Very beautiful, she is 5"11' and occasionally models. She is currently dating Anton Mercer. Powers: Feline Physiology/Transformation, Enhanced Agility, Flexibility, Dexterity, Senses, Reflexes, Strength, Agility, Speed, Endurance.

  
**Eva Mercer AKA Crystal Angel**  
Anton's twin sister. Short, spiky, multicolored hair. Loves to change her hair color. Physical powers are much weaker than Anton's due to not being pushed as hard as her brother. Powers: Adaptive Abilities, Power Creation, Crystalline Wings, Super Strength, Flight, Teleportation, Super Speed.

 

**Evron Grey's Powers**  
Voice naturally makes people agree with, listen and obey him. It is uncontrolled, extremely subtle and immediate. A small offhand sentence can be interpreted as a lifetime order that the person simply carries out by thinking It was their idea. Super Speed (Ranges from Fractions of Light Speed to FTL Time Travel). Super Strength(Roughly in the millions of tons). Flight. Danger Intuition. Enhanced Awareness. Enhanced Vision. Enhanced Reflexes. Extremely Rapid Regeneration . Friction Negation. Highly Durable Bones. Little to No Waste Production. Extreme Stamina. Parallel Processing. Inertia Negation. Zirin Control. Zirin Manipulation. Zirin Absorption. Zirin Projection(Estimated to be in the range of Sexdecillion Megatons). Ability Mimicry. Power Awakening. Teleportation. Dimensional Travel, Dimensional Awareness. Limited Time Manipulation. Resistance to Mental Control. Resistance to Precognition. Limited Shapeshifting. Uncontrolled Reality Warping, Uncontrolled Omnikinesis, Potential Omnipotence

 

**Origin Of Evron's Powers and All the Powers In His Universe**  
Evron Grey is the host of an extradimensional existence now known as The Nexus that not only exists simultaneously in nearly every reality existence simultaneously but is also the cause of all powers in his universe. The existence was once part of an advanced race of aliens whose only goals were scientific advancement and the genetic manipulation of lesser species for their enjoyment. The existence, formerly known as Evron, was praised for his intelligence among his people despite being a child in his people's standard's of maturity. In his attempt to create a device that would allow for truly endless energy, he set off a reaction that led to his entire reality being subsumed in an ontological apocalypse. After all was said and done and countless other realities were subsumed and absorbed, the existence awoke with the consciousness of the being formerly known as Evron. After aeons spent doing nothing but thinking and controlling the essentially infinite mass of energy that he now was, he attempted to create life using all the information from the centillions of sapient species he had absorbed.  
After recreating the original inhabitants of his universe, the existence began creating things that he had only ever imagined. He gave planets and stars sapience, made an organic being the scale of an entire galaxy, and many others. After all of this, he had become bored again. He wished to be organic again. He created an organic body and found it lacking. He had no emotions. He felt nothing. After many attempts at taking another organics body for himself that met with failure, he came to realize that he was tired of existence. He wanted to die.  
The existence spent his next few hundred thousand years in a crystalline form on a planet with some primitive sapients contemplating how best to terminate itself without destroying the universes in which it kept all it's creations. It then left the primitive sapients behind uncaring the fact that it's existence on their planet had given them abilities that could be best defined as godlike and that they had been worshiping him for millennia. It found it's way to Earth, circa 2010. The very act of entering Earth's atmosphere had already enhanced/mutated some of Earth's inhabitants in small ways.  
Almost three hundred years later, an infinitesimally small amount of time to it, it found a developing life form being incubated in another mature life form. The incubating life form had a mental structure exactly the same as the Existence's original life form, a side effect of the mutations caused by it's original appearance three hundred years past. The presence of the Existence affected the mother, causing her to give him the name Evron despite not knowing it's origin. It entered the incubating life form and acted as a leech on it's emotions, leaving the child emotionless and sociopathic. The child was then put through a procedure and given intensive medication, causing numerous mental issues later on in life.  
The child joined with others and began using the abilities granted to it by the Existence. His host growing stronger every day, the Existence awaits the day that his host will take his place and take it's power, allowing him to fade away without destroying the trillions of realities it had used as a playground. All powers that exist in the Nexus are really just reality warping.


	9. Introductions 1.4

> **Introductions 1.4**

>   
>   
>  Evron flew over Brockton Bay , his enhanced senses giving him insights into what the city was like. He was not impressed. Graffiti littered various walls. Drug addicts lay dazed in alleys, lost in narcotic hazes. Racist imagery and swastikas...Fucking Swastikas...were all over the place. Frankly, Brockton Bay disgusted him. He landed on a rather tall building and prepared to research everything the Net had on this world's powered and non-powered troubles. The device on his right arm opened up, exposing a rather large holographic screen, displaying various articles discussing the issues that plagued this world; which was apparently named Earth Bet, for some reason. As he read, the more he felt this world was a lost cause.  
>   
> E88; a Nazi group, unsurprising. There was always at least one of those. Merchants; a gang of drug addicts that forcefully inducted others into their ranks. That was rather rare. Drug addicts could barely focus on anything more than acquiring more drugs. Heartbreaker, just a Narcissus that went evil. Lung the Dragon, Oni Lee & the ABB, Asian Nazis. That was definitely a new one. The Elite actually seemed somewhat useful. They were almost like a Syndicate that was just starting out. He could appreciate that. The Slaughterhouse 9; this...this was all too familiar. They sounded exactly like Mayhem, only older, more experienced, more sadistic and with a higher turnover rate for members. The mere thought sent a shiver down his spine. He continued reading. Ash Beast, Moord Nag, The Three Blasphemies and...Endbringers. 'Endbringers? An apocalypse group?... **What...the '** Evron's eyes began to twitch and he felt the familiar **burn** in his blood that told him that he was getting too angry too quickly. **'That angel bitch...the Simurgh...quarantines, ticking time bombs. Leviathan...Newfoundland...Japan. Behemoth the Hero Killer.'** This world was more than horrible. It was more than sad. It was **"Pathetic..."** , hissed Evron through gritted teeth, his pupils turning a bright red. It really was. Their most powerful hero team, this Triumvirate, barely did anything of note. The only bright spot seemed to be this Scion and his powers seemed to have left him mentally disabled.  
>   
> Evron had been a hero for over ten years. During those ten years, he had done a lot more to handle crime than anyone knew or would approve of, violent crime especially. Regardless of the fact that some of his methods were rather unsavory and most of them were outright illegal, he and Titanwatch; his superhero team, had made the world a much safer place. Worldwide, every city that he had a base in had little to no crime. Well, crime that he didn't organize at least. He had always wondered what would happen to a world with superpowers if his family had not taken control as quickly as they had. Now he knew. 'Just thirty years of powers and your world goes to shit. Pitiful.'  
>   
> His world was functional and criminals knew what the limits were. If they did not abide by his rules, they were taken care of...personally. City destroying monsters were taken care of. This world obviously didn't have the methods to take care of itself or it's problems. Evron knew an opportunity was right in front of him. Another world was available. If it couldn't handle the Simurgh, it definitely couldn't handle him. Another world that he could mold in his image and this time, it would be all his work. No Grey family to backstab him, no Syndicate to assist, no Iceberg to claim credit for his work. He leapt off the building and flew into the air, the cold night air not bothering him in the slightest, and spread his arms out wide. His vision increased until he saw for miles around. 'This could all be mine. Another world to make my own...to control...WAIT...no...'  
>   
> Evron shook his head and dropped back down to the rooftop below him. His vision receded and his pupils returned to their normal bright blue. "God, I've got to keep that under control. Can't afford to be all Megalo again when I head back home.", he muttered to himself, 'That's a whole new level of crazy I don't need right now. Now, time to go hom-urk!' Evron gasped as his perception of the world sped up immensely without his control and time stopped. "Not this...not right now **...Nexus!!!"** , Evron's teeth were exposed in a growl of rage and he whipped his head around as if looking for someone. **"Nexus, show yourself!!!"**  
>   
>  **"** **You appear to be enraged. Why is that?"** A soft voice that somehow seemed to be coming from everywhere at once spoke out.  
>   
> "I said, **SHOW YOURSELF!!!"** , roared Evron once more.  
>   
>  **"Alright."**  
>   
>  A figure appeared a few feet in front of Evron. There was no sound, no effect, no distortion to mark his appearance. He might as well have been standing in front of Evron for hours.  
>   
> Evron glared at his own face standing across from him. The being was almost an exact match to Evron's appearance. His eyes were white and lacked pupils. His hair was a solid white. He wore a solid plain white T-shirt and long baggy white pants. Nexus. The extradimensional existence that had been attached to Evron before he had even been born. He was also the source of Evron's powers. In fact, he was the source of all the powers in every reality Evron had ever been to. He was also omnipotent. Either that or he was as close a facsimile as Evron had ever seen. A short time ago, he had been one of Evron's best friends. That was no longer the case.  
>   
> "What do you want, Nexus?", Evron spat, his teeth gritted. "I told you I didn't want to talk to you again."  
>   
> Nexus stared blankly at Evron. "I doubt you realize the sheer impossibility of your wish. I exist inside your consciousness. Every stray thought of yours is essentially a conversation with me. Regardless, we communicate on a level deeper than words or thought. You know this well."  
>   
> Evron continued to glare at Nexus, his eyes narrowing to thin slits. "I know all about that. I meant that I don't want to see you. What do you want?"  
>   
> Nexus lifted the sides of his mouth in something that might have been called a smile if it wasn't just too wide and wasn't obviously fake. "You don't want to see me. Why is that? Is it my face? You don't like it? It's yours. Do you hate the way you look, Evron? You should have more confidence. You are rather handsome. A hero has to have self-confidence, you know. "  
>   
> "We're not doing this.", Evron growled," I'm not playing your games. We're not friends anymore. You lied to me for years. You used me as a meat puppet for your entertainment. You took away my powers!!! I do not like you. If I could, I'd never want to see you again. Now, either leave me alone or tell me what...you...want!!"  
>   
> The mockery of a smile disappeared from Nexus' face. "As you wish. I am here to inform you that you cannot depart from this reality as of yet."  
>   
> The glare Evron leveled at Nexus was powerful enough to send grown men running. "Why?"  
>   
> "It appears that while in the midst of your Redline, you applied a novel and rather forceful method of entering this universe. Due to that, this universe is somewhat unstable. If you attempt to leave this universe using any of your normal methods, such as ripping a small hole in the fabric of reality, you will end up causing this entire reality set to implode. An immediate death sentence for everyone in this universe and others around it. Who would have ever imagined that punching your way into another universe would have such horrible consequences?", Nexus finished speaking, a grave expression on his face.  
>   
> Evron froze, shocked by the bombshell Nexus dropped on him. Not even a second passed before his glare returned. "Bullshit. Let's say I believe you. I know you. I've seen your memories. You've destroyed trillions of reality sets just because you were bored with them. Why would you suddenly start caring? What do you really want?"  
>   
> Nexus laughed. Evron flinched as he felt the odd low pitched booming shake his bones and make his teeth chatter. "You know me so well. I love that about you. You are one of the few in all of existence who knows me that well. I don't care about this universe. It is interesting to me, though. It is one of the rare few that is not connected to me and I have noticed some interesting...entities...in this reality set. Until my influence spreads into every quark of this universe and I grow tired of it, you will not leave. That is, unless you want to become a mass murderer on the multiversal scale." Nexus flashed him a familiar smirk. He recognized that smirk all too well. It was the same one he gave himself every morning. He knew when he was beaten.  
>   
> "Fine." His voice was low, the sound of tired resignation evident in his tone. His eyes were downcast as he asked Nexus one last question."Why can't you just send me back home? I know you can do it."  
>   
> The smirk on Nexus' face turned into a full-blown smile, a convincing one at that. "Ev, that's a favor. Friends do each other favors. How could you forget? We're not friends anymore."  
>   
> Evron flinched as he realized his own words were being thrown being back at him. "And Ev, you were wrong about one thing. I did not murder a trillion realities." Evron looked up at Nexus' words. "Add a hundred zeros to that and you'll be a lot closer to the actual number." With that Nexus disappeared and time returned to normal.  
>   
> Evron stood in place, internally screaming at the unfairness of everything. Evron **hated** feeling out of control and Nexus always left him with that feeling. He felt the ** burning rage** building up in his core. He wasn't anywhere near full strength but he didn't care about wasting energy. He didn't want to temper it. He wanted to let it loose. He needed an outlet. He wanted...no, he needed to **burn a fucker to ashes. He needed to rip a fucker in half.**  
>   
>   
>  "...ere you going, niggers? Come on, we just want to talk." Evron's enhanced hearing picked up a voice a few blocks away.  
>   
> "Yeah, talk,", he heard another say, "Let's talk about why you shouldn't be in our territory. Let's have a real detailed conversation." Several loud drunken cheers followed that statement.  
>   
> Evron grinned viciously, his teeth sharpening as he began to change. His pupils had already shifted to a bright red and he felt slightly heaver as he gained a visible increase in muscle. Tongues of flame circled his fists and surrounded his head, giving him a fiery halo.  
>   
> With a roar, he jumped high into the air, trails of flame following him.  
>   
> He landed in front of a large group of tattooed white men with a crash, creating an impressive crater in the pavement. Behind him stood a buff black kid that reminded him of a small Anton and a younger girl with colorful hair that looked like a dead ringer for Eva in her small form. That didn't matter. He didn't care about that. There were Fuckers to burn. He turned to look at the two, ignoring the growing looks of fear on their faces. **"Run",** he growled.  
>   
>  They obeyed.  
>   
> The men jumped back. A few pulled out guns and began shooting. The bullets moved lazily in the air towards him. The men were shocked when their bullets disappeared out of the air. They became terrified when he spat the pieces of heated metal at their feet. Two or three ran. He'd find them. He had their scent.  
>   
> He gave the Neo-Nazis still in front of him a vicious razor-toothed grin. " **I wonder how white your skin will be after I burn you to a crisp."**  
>   
>  The men began to scream. That didn't last long.  
>   
> ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
>   
> (1 AM)  
>   
> Greg Veder liked to eat cold pizza late at night. It was his favorite snack just before bed. A cold vegetable pizza and a bottle of orange soda was all he needed to get him to sleep. The mixture frequently gave him nightmares. He had grown used to them. He didn't even mind them anymore. What he was seeing right now in front of his bed was more terrifying than any nightmare the blonde Veder boy had ever experienced. Red eyed, smelling of burnt meat and covered with freshly spilled blood, Evron Grey stood at the foot of his bed.  
>   
>  **"Hello, Greg. I know you didn't expect so see me again. I didn't expect to see your either. I'm here to make you an offer"** , he said all this in a voice that sounded like he gargled glass every day.  
>   
> "O-o-o-o-okay", Greg stuttered fearfully. Greg quietly thanked God that he had forgotten to go on PHO to tell people about the new cape after his mom had made him scrub all the floors in the house free of blood. "W-why a-are you covered in fresh blood?"  
>   
> Evron smiled widely and Greg flinched as he saw more blood on his incredibly sharp teeth.  
>  **"That's not important, Greg."**  
>   
>  Greg disagreed intensely. He felt it was extremely important. He didn't voice his disagreement. He kept his contrary opinions to himself. Greg Veder was many things but he wasn't suicidal.
> 
>  

 


	10. Interlude 1b: PHO/Cauldron

>   
> **Interlude 1b  
>   
>  PHO/Cauldron   
>   
>   
> Welcome to the Parahumans Online Message Boards**  
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> 
> 
> ■
> 
>   
>  **♦Topic: Mystery Cape Speculation  
>  In: Boards ► World ► Events ► Debates**  
>   
>  **WildMassGuesser** (Original Poster) (Veteran Member) (Cape Groupie)  
>  Posted on February 24, 2011:  
>   
> Shit just got real! Ziz showed up in Canberra. The sky turned red and cracked open. A cape flew out. He and the Simurgh had a staring contest for five minutes then he smacked the shit out of her. He fought her solo because shit happened that fucking fast and he hits like a nuke. The bitch lost her lower half, for fucks sake!!!  
>   
> Some more stuff happened. Only 16 Capes died. This is BIG!!!  
>   
> If you're not up to speed, head to the **Confirmed Information Thread**.  
>   
>  Video and Stills can be found **here**.  
>   
>  This is the Speculation Thread. Let's speculate, people!!!  
>   
>   
>   
>  **(Showing Page 29 of 62)**  
> 
> 
>   
>  **► EthanH**  
>  Replied on February 24, 2011:  
> [Veritas](https://forums.spacebattles.com/members/2909/) \- How the hell does that make sense? What evidence could there possibly be that this guy is the next Endbringer? He just fought the Simurgh. You saw the video. If you haven't, here. He took 5 steel rods to the body before he teleported away.  
>   
>   
>  **► Veritas** (Cape Groupie)  
>  Replied on February 24, 2011:  
> @EthanH - I'm not saying for sure that he's an Endbringer. It just seems to fit. He doesn't look fully human.  
> Black/red eyes, Black/red veins sticking out everywhere. Skin as pale as the Simurgh's. Hair as white as the Simurgh's. He regenerated faster than the Simurgh. He took a steel rod to the HEART!  
>   
>  **► EthanH**  
>  Replied on February 24, 2011:  
> [Veritas](https://forums.spacebattles.com/members/2909/) \- "He doesn't look fully human". What sense do you make? Haven't you heard of Case 53's? Also, did you not notice later on in the fight that his hair went mostly black?  
>   
>  **► The_Darkness** (Cape Groupie)  
>  Replied on February 24, 2011:  
> @EthanH - Veritas makes a really good point. If you gave him wings and took away his clothes, he'd look like the Simurgh's little brother.  
>   
>  **► Simon_Tama** (Unverified Cape)  
>  Replied on February 24, 2011:  
> @The_Darkness - That's a real scary thought, man.  
>   
>  **► The_Darkness** (Cape Groupie)  
>  Replied on February 24, 2011:  
> @Simon_Tama - I know, right. Imagine if Leviathan had a little sister.  
>   
>  **► PlanksFriend94**  
>  Replied on February 24, 2011:  
> Look, EthanH is right. He had Tinkertech on his arms, legs and chest. He wore clothes. He could talk. Enough with the Endbringer theory.  
>   
>  **► BoosterBill** (Cape Son)  
>  Replied on February 24, 2011:  
> @PlanksFriend94 - He talked? When did this happen? All I heard was roaring and screaming.  
>   
>  **► Ironroar** (Verified Cape)  
>  Replied on February 24, 2011:  
> Look, I don't know if he's an Endbringer or not but I was there. I fought Ziz before the new guy showed up. She stopped everything a good two minutes before the sky turned red and started cracking. She could tell he was coming. He moved real slow to her. They looked like they were communicating when they were looking into each other's eyes. No cape is going to pull the type of shit that guy pulled with the Simurgh.  
>   
>  **► PlanksFriend94**  
>  Replied on February 24, 2011:  
> @BoosterBill - Yes, he could talk. Remember when he pointed at the Simurgh. He obviously said something.  
>   
>  **► Winged_One**  
>  Replied on February 24, 2011:  
> @PlanksFriend94 - I think he might have used some offensive language. That's not behavior appropriate for a Hero. Think of the children.  
>   
>  **► PlanksFriend94**  
>  Replied on February 24, 2011:  
> [Winged_One](https://forums.spacebattles.com/members/316889/) \- Are you making a joke? 'Cause I can't really tell.  
>   
>  **► Winged_One**  
>  Replied on February 24, 2011:  
> @PlanksFriend94 - I'm being completely serious.  
>   
>  **► BoosterBill** (Cape Son)  
>  Replied on February 24, 2011:  
> It sounded like growling to me.  
>   
>  **► UniverseOfPain**  
>  Replied on February 24, 2011:  
> I think the Endbringer theory has some merit. We're not really sure what the Endbringers are. They could be aliens.  
> The Simurgh could obviously tell someone was coming. She might have been expecting him.  
>   
>  **► CompletelyInsaneWriter**  
>  Replied on February 24, 2011:  
> @UniverseOfPain - She's the fucking Simurgh, she fucking "expects" everything!!! Precog's her thing!  
>   
>  **► Cow and Burger**  
>  Replied on February 24, 2011:  
> I think he could definitely be an Endbringer. More likely, he's the Simurgh's ex-boyfriend. Did you see the way they stared passionately into each other's eyes before they started ripping each other apart?  
>   
>  **► Bug-Boy**  
>  Replied on February 24, 2011:  
> Why ex-boyfriend? For all we know, fighting and destruction could be the Endbringer version of sex.  
> The Simurgh's into some really rough stuff, apparently. She's just a girl that loves to be in control.  
>   
> User received an infraction for this post.  
>   
>  **► Tin_Mother** (Moderator)  
>  Replied on February 24, 2011:  
> That is inappropriate and offensive to those who have suffered because of the Simurgh. More comments like that and you will be suspended.  
>   
>  **► Ironroar** (Verified Cape)  
>  Replied on February 24, 2011:  
> Seriously, though, that mystery cape was strong. Every time he hit the Simurgh, there were huge shockwaves.  
> I was still in the air at the time and every hit almost knocked me to the ground. It took all my focus not to fall out of the sky.  
>   
>  **► Simon_Tama** (Cape Groupie)  
>  Replied on February 24, 2011:  
> @The_Darkness - Levi-tan. That's all I have to say.  
>   
> 
> 
>  **End of Page. 1, 2, 3 ... 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 ... 60 , 61, 62**  
>   
> 
> 
> ■
> 
>   
>  **♦Topic: Lung Has A Son? (New Cape)  
>  In: Boards ► News ► Events ► America ► Brockton Bay**  
>   
>  **Lurker** (Original Poster) (The Guy In The Know) (Veteran Member)  
>  Posted on February 24, 2011:  
>   
> Okay, I was heading home tonight after some drinks with my friends. I saw a lot of guys who were clearly E88 chasing after a couple of black kids.  
>   
> I got on my phone to call 911 and then I saw THIS. (Sorry for the shitty quality. My phone's camera really sucks and it was pretty dark.)  
>   
> I know that Brockton Bay has a lot of capes but do we really need another Pyrokinetic Brute? Especially one this violent? He ripped a couple of guys in half here, people. He burnt another guy's face off.  
> Granted they're Nazis, but still. The guy wasn't wearing a mask and I couldn't really make out his face but he was definitely white.  
> His voice, if you can't make it out, sounds exactly like Lung's. This is crazy.  
>   
>  **(Showing Page 22 of 26)**  
> 
> 
>   
>  **► SpecificProtagonist** (Cape Groupie)  
>  Replied on March 1, 2011:  
> No wonder the gangs won't stop fighting. There was a knife fight yesterday at Winslow and one guy brought a gun. Honestly, I'm glad Shadow Stalker was there. Someone could have gotten killed.  
>   
>  **► XxVoidCowboyxX**  
>  Replied on March 1, 2011:  
> This new guy is super awesome. He'd never join Lung, though. The ABB target non-asians in their territory. He'd probably fight Lung and I dont know why but I have a gut feeling that he'd win.  
>   
>   
>   
>  **► Makai**  
>  Replied on March 1, 2011:  
> @XxVoidCowboyxX - You don't know what the fuck you're talking about, retard. Lung is the Big Boss Dragon. This fucking matchstick couldn't do shit to him. The entire Protectorate and the E88 can't do shit to him. Lung would show him what real fire is. You better shut your fucking mouth before you get yourself killed.  
>   
> User received an infraction for this post.  
>   
>  **► Kaiser** (Moderator)  
>  Replied on March 1, 2011:  
> I can understand why a mongol like Lung behaves the way he does, but for a new powerful cape of pure blood to be a race traitor is sad. This new cape attacked and killed some of my men. He will pay. Neither Lung nor this upstart are a challenge to the might of the E88. When the time comes, they will both be taken care of.  
>   
> User received an infraction for this post  
>   
>  **► Lung** (Verified Cape)  
>  Replied on March 1, 2011:  
> [Kaiser](https://forums.spacebattles.com/members/103753/) \- Is that so? We'll see how pure your blood is when it's poured out all over the ground, Kaiser.  
> I have no son and the ABB makes clear who it accepts in it's ranks.  
>   
> User received an infraction for this post.  
>   
>   
>  **► SithLadySusan** (Cape Groupie)  
>  Replied on March 1, 2011:  
> Someone told me that The Mystery Cape has been spotted around town. Could he be trying to join the Protectorate?  
>   
>  **► XxVoidCowboyxX**  
>  Replied on March 1, 2011:  
> @Makai - Was that a threat? Cause I could kick your ass up and down Brockton Bay. You couldn't touch me.  
>   
> User has received an infraction for this post.  
>   
>  **► Makai**  
>  Replied on March 1, 2011:  
> Go fuck yourself, you little shit. You're trying to talk tough on PHO. If you met an ABB, you'd shit yourself. I'd fuck you up.  
>   
> User has received an infraction for this post. One more time and you will receive a suspension.  
>   
>  **► XxVoidCowboyxX**  
>  Replied on March 1, 2011:  
> Do you mean you by yourself or your entire gang? I don't even care anymore. If the Mystery Cape is in town, the ABB is next after the E88 goes down.  
>   
>  **► Makai**  
>  Replied on March 1, 2011:  
> Do you know what a balisong is, faggot? It's a fucking butterfly knife. I'll cut your fucking ass to pieces. I'm ABB, bitch!  
>   
> User has been suspended.  
>   
>  **► Tin_Mother (Moderator)**  
>  Replied on March 1, 2011:  
> @Makai - I warned you. Enjoy your twenty day suspension.  
>   
>  **► Tin_Mother (Moderator)**  
>  Replied on March 1, 2011:  
> @XxVoidCowboyxX - I'm watching you. Don't incite others to make threats.  
>   
>  **(Showing Page 22 of 26)**  
> 
> 
>   
>  **► Bagrat** (The Guy In The Know) (Veteran Member)  
>  Replied on March 1, 2011:  
> @SithLadySusan - Where did you hear the rumor about Hyperion?  
>   
>  **► SithLadySusan** (Cape Groupie)  
>  Replied on March 1, 2011:  
> @Bagrat - I can't really say. So, Hyperion? The PRT finally gave him a name?  
>   
>  **► Bagrat** (The Guy In The Know) (Veteran Member)  
>  Replied on March 1, 2011:  
> @SithLadySusan - Yes. My friend in the PRT said it took a while because they kept discussing the powers he showed and wanted to name him around those. They eventually settled on Hyperion.  
>   
>   
>   
>  **► Laserdream** (Verified Cape)  
>  Replied on March 1, 2011:  
> The PRT finally named him. Hyperion...I like it. It sounds powerful. Too bad I can't call him Mr. Mystery any more. He is really hot, though.  I've been trying to get a glimpse of him the past few days. Glory Girl told me she saw him with white hair again with another cape running super fast down by the Docks. They disappeared when she tried to fly down to them. I wonder if he's planning to stay in BB.   
>   
> **► GloryGirl**  
>  Replied on March 1, 2011:  
> Laserdream's right. I totally saw Hyperion. It looked like he was training the other cape. I wonder if they're related.  
>   
>  **► Bagrat** (The Guy In The Know) (Veteran Member)  
>  Replied on March 1, 2011:  
> This is interesting. Hyperion might be making Brockton Bay his home. That is, if he didn't live here already. And he might have family here. This is good stuff. Thanks, GloryGirl, Laserdream.  
>   
>  **► EvronGrey** (Unverified Cape) (New Member)  
>  Replied on March 1, 2011:  
> Hyperion...nah. It's a good name but it's not for me. I prefer to be known by my real name. You can all call me Evron. Evron Grey.  
>   
>  **► Lurker** (Original Poster) (The Guy In The Know) (Veteran Member)  
>  Replied on March 1, 2011:  
> @EvronGrey - Is this a joke or are you really the Mystery Cape?  
> Cause if you're joking, it's not funny.  
>   
>  **► EvronGrey** (Unverified Cape) (New Member)  
>  Replied on March 1, 2011:  
> I'm not joking.  
>   
>  **► Lurker** (Original Poster) (The Guy In The Know) (Veteran Member)  
>  Replied on March 1, 2011:  
> Holy Shit! Hyperion just pulled a New Wave! Sorry, I mean Evron Grey just pulled a New Wave!!!  
>   
>  **► GloryGirl** (Verified Cape)  
>  Replied on March 1, 2011:  
> Is this for real?!  
>   
> 
> 
>  **End of Page. 1, 2, 3 ... 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26  
>   
>   
>   
>   
> ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
>   
> **  
> Alexandria walked through the familiar glowing, rectangular portal and entered a long, white hallway. She walked calmly towards the meeting room and opened the double doors. She was not surprised to see the meeting room already occupied.  
>   
> The Number Man was there, along with Contessa and Doctor Mother. Eidolon and Legend sat across from the three of them. Sitting next to Legend, she gave her two old friends a nod in greeting and Eidolon returned it while Legend offered a warm smile in return.  
>   
> "So, we're here to talk about the new parahuman, then? The PRT already named him. Hyperion was what they decided on." she began.  
>   
> The Doctor nodded slowly. " Yes. We're currently trying to see if his appearance will have any discernible effect on our plans."  
>   
> Alexandria raised an eyebrow. "And?"  
>   
> "He has only been a factor for five days. Since we have been aware of his existence, we have had our Thinkers rigorously attempt to glean whatever information they can about him. We accomplished very little other than finding a new way to give Thinkers blinding headaches," remarked Doctor Mother. "So far, one thing we are certain of is that Hyperion is not from this Earth."  
>   
> The Triumvirate leaned forward almost in unison. Eidolon spoke first. "This Earth?"  
>   
> Number Man nodded. "Or any Earth within the range of Doormaker or The Clairvoyant."  
>   
> "How is that possible?", Legend wondered aloud.  
>   
> "We don't yet know," responded Doctor Mother. "It may be that there are Earths that exist outside of Scion's purview. We currently have no method of testing this theory."  
>   
> Eidolon glanced towards Contessa who had made no attempt to speak. "And what about you?"  
>   
> Contessa straightened in her chair and looked at each of them in turn. "My Paths have been...odd since the arrival of Hyperion. All the Paths that I was previously on disappeared. I started them again and most seem to be functional but a few highly important ones have proven to be blind spots to me. I would assume that he is a being like Scion but I found that I am able to take some Paths that involve him but many are blank. It's...perplexing."  
>   
> Alexandria frowned at that unfortunate piece of information. "So what you're saying is that he is a partial blind spot to your ability."  
>   
> Contessa frowned as well and nodded curtly.  
>   
> Doctor Mother chose then to speak. "He has displayed Mover abilities that are worth at least a 8. His strength, durability, regeneration and endurance net him a Brute 8. His energy blasts were capable of completely destroying the Simurgh's lower body. That's never been done before. He was also capable of manipulating his blasts in odd ways. We should also put him down as a Blaster 9. From the footage we received from Dragon, we were able to see that he also was able to channel some form of energy to his fists during the latter part of his fight, so he has some form of Striker rating. Possibly 6 or 7. He was apparently able to land direct hits on the Simurgh so he might have a power nullifier. He could be a Trump 5 even if his power only worked on Precogs simply due to the fact that it can affect the Simurgh." The Doctor gave a slight cough before continuing. "Does anyone have any relevant information concerning Hyperion?"  
>   
> Legend shook his head in the negative while Eidolon said nothing.  
>   
> "Actually, I do. I was on PHO seconds before I left my office," began Alexandria, "I found out that Hyperion's real name is Evron Grey. He released his name on PHO. He apparently has a partner of some sort who possesses Mover abilities."  
>   
> Eidolon looked directly at Alexandria. "Wonderful,"replied Eidolon, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "We have a powerful new cape who can fight an Endbringer solo for at least ten minutes and he's loose in a city with the highest concentration of capes in the country and he doesn't give a shit about secret identities. This can't go horribly wrong at all, right?"  
>   
> Alexandria shot him a glare.  
>   
> "This might not be that bad, everyone," Legend replied, "I mean, we know he's powerful. He did do all that but he'll probably be willing to work with the Protectorate. He attempted to keep us occupied with the Simurgh. Not many capes would be willing to risk their lives figting the Simurgh. I know capes who would rather fight Leviathan or Behemoth than The Simutgh Another bonus, the Simurgh most likely might not be able to affect him considering that she was struggling against him."  
>   
> Alexandria gave a small smile after hearing Legend's point of view. "You're right. And besides, even if he is a villain, he didn't display anything we can't handle if we work together. We are the Triumvirate after all." She emphasized her statement by bringing her hand down on the highly reinforced table.  
>   
> Doctor Mother chose that moment to interject. "Actually, there is one problem."  
>   
> "What is it?", Eidolon asked, already expecting the worst.  
>   
> The dark skinned Doctor steepled her hands on her chest. "A Thinker belonging to Cauldron, Triage, was at the Simurgh attack performing triage alongside the Healers. If you couldn't determine by her name, she has the ability to determine how healthy or ill a person is. She informed me earlier today that Evron Grey was already on his last legs before the Simurgh fight started. In her own words, his body was already recovering from a massive fight and he hadn't slept or eaten in weeks. In other words, he fought the Simurgh when he was already half-dead," she concluded gravely.  
>   
> The Triumvirate were left speechless by the bombshell Doctor Mother dropped on them.  
>   
> Legend then summed up their respective feelings in two words.  
>   
> "Well...shit."

 


	11. Introductions 1.5

**Introductions 1.5**  
  
  
  
  
Gregory Veder ran through the through the abandoned areas of the Docks, his breathing heavy and his brow dripping with sweat. His limbs ached, weighed down by the silver gloves and boots he wore that distinctly resembled Tinkertech. He was very glad that it was still light out. In this area of the Docks, gang members rarely appeared until well into the night and he had no intention of being slowed down by a wannabe mugger. He had something hidden away to deal with them but he could not afford to be slowed down, not right now.  
  
He had been running at this pace for well over two hours, longer and farther than he had ever ran in his entire life. If this was merely for the sake of exercise, he would have slowed to a jog or even a walk in an attempt to get a second wind. Instead, he increased his pace, ignoring the pain that shot through his legs and chest, forcing his body past his human limits. He was terrified that slowing down would allow his relentless pursuer, who was still on his trail after more than two hours, to finally pounce on him like the prey he felt like right now.   
  
He glanced nervously around, unable to see any sign of his hunter. However, that only made him increase his speed further. 'If I can't see him,' thought a frantic Greg, 'that means he could be anywhere.' Greg gasped for breath but he simply balled his fists, unwilling to be caught. He dug deeper and kept pushing, sure that he would greatly regret if he didn't.   
  
Even though he struggled to keep running, he increased his speed further, despite the fact that all he really felt like doing was lying on the ground and not getting up for a week. 'Keep going...don't stop...keep...going...Shit!'  
  
Greg noticed a shadow directly under him that was distinctly separate from his and whipped his head upwards, not slowing his pace down in the least. "Not catching me...". He ducked into a side alley and, with a single leap, cleared a chain link fence nearly twice his height. He ran into another wider alley and vaulted a large dumpster someone had foolishly placed in the center of the alley. If this area had actually been filled with anyone other than a single sleeping homeless man, Greg might have been ashamed to be seen in his current attire. Dressed in nothing more than white sneakers with long white socks, a tight white T-shirt and red shorts that could only be described as nut-huggers, he looked exactly like a middle-aged gym teacher. In other word, ridiculous.   
  
Greg reached the end of the alley and found himself blocked off by a group of warehouses that someone apparently thought it was a good idea to build so close together. With a muttered expletive, he turned around and prepared to head back the same way he came. As soon as he entered the alley again, his eyes widened in shock as he noticed the dumpster from earlier flying directly at him.  
  
With an attempted backflip that began rather gracefully but immediately turned into a painful and uncontrolled tumble, he avoided the trash receptacle that quickly found itself embedded into a warehouse wall. Greg winced as he saw the dumpster crumple against the side of the wall but he had no time to waste. He scrambled up and immediately tried to run, only to freeze as he he heard his name.  
  
"Gregory, you were rather disappointing," began the voice. It sounded distorted and hard to track, as if it was coming from everywhere at the same time. "I thought you would last longer than you did."  
  
Greg goggled. "I've been running as fast I can for two freakin' hours," he whined.   
"You're a horrible teacher, boss."  
  
The voice laughed and Evron appeared several meters in the air , hair white as snow and blue eyes shining playfully. He wore his blue and black hoodie with a black shirt underneath as well as his black and blue pants and boots. His normal Tinkertech limb devices were currently on Greg's person. All he wore on each wrist was a thick silver manacle. Around his neck, his jeweled choker was no longer there. "Seriously, Greg, you're doing better. Do you know how fast you were going?"  
  
Greg shook his head, trying to relax his breathing enough to get his second wind.  
  
"You kept a pace of almost fifty miles an hour for over two hours, Greg. We started at your house. You kept taking back alleys and backtracking several times to try to stay out of my sight. All in all, you ran about ninety miles, Greg." Evron beamed down at Greg, a wide and approving smile on his face.  
  
Greg's jaw hung open. "Ninety...ninety...miles?" He couldn't believe it.  
  
Evron nodded. "Your personal best. Not bad for your third week with powers, huh? Without the power limiters,"he paused, gesturing to the devices Greg wore, "you could probably run at about a hundred miles an hour."  
  
Greg just stared, mouth agape and his tiredness forgotten. 'A hundred? I'm fast...'  
  
Evron dropped to the ground until he was only a few meters away from Greg. "You did good today, Greg. But...we're not done yet."  
  
Greg furrowed his eyebrows, his confusion visible. "We're not?" In the three weeks since they had started this, Evron had focused on giving Greg endurance and speed training, neglecting his other abilities because, in Evron's words, "What's the point of having flashy powers if you're slow and weak?"  
  
Evron's warm smile turned positively vicious. " **DODGE!!!"**  
  
There was no warning. No warning at all.  
  
Except the extremely loud shout of " **DODGE!!!"**.  
  
But other than that, none at all.  
  
Before he could even process the word, the massive blow struck Greg directly in the chest, knocking all the wind out of him and sending him flying backwards into the concrete wall of the warehouse behind him. ' I didn't even see him move.' The world seemed to slow down for him and he began to think back to exactly how he had gotten to this moment.  
  
  
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
  
(Three weeks ago)  
  
Greg sat in his bed staring at Evron who had just asked something he could only describe as incredible. The question was so shocking that he forgot that less than two minutes ago, Evron had appeared in his room, covered in blood and smelling of burnt meat. It was so mindblowing that Greg only had one thing to say. "What?"  
  
Evron, who had already transformed back to normal, restated the question calmly and slowly as if speaking to a child.  
  
"Greg, do you want me to give you superpowers?"  
  
The question hung in the air unanswered for all of two seconds..  
  
"Y-you can give powers?"  
  
Evron nodded, a smile on his face. He already had Greg, and both of them knew it.  
  
Greg continued. "Really? You can make someone trigger?"  
  
"Trigger...heh. Where I'm from, we call it Evolving. Yes, I can give you powers."  
  
"No side effects? What powers can I get?"  
  
Evron shook his head. "None that I can't fix and your powerset depends on your subconscious."  
  
"So you just want to give me powers out of the goodness of your own heart and you don't have any...uh...ulterior motivation?" replied Greg skeptically.  
  
Evron shrugged, a smirk still on his face. "Well, I do have an ulterior motive. I mean, come on, why else would I just offer you powers?"  
  
Greg nodded. "So what do you want from me?"  
  
Evron leaned forward until he was less than an arms length from Greg. "I want your help to take over the world."  
  
Greg's expression could only be described as dumbfounded. "Huh?"  
  
"See, when I landed on your Earth, I showed up in the middle of this big monster fight. This angel thing called the Simurgh or Ziz, or whatever, was trying to fight me. I was really beat up already 'cause I just finished a massive battle but I can't leave when people are getting killed by giant monsters. I mean, really, it's in my job description. I can't not do it without my approval rating going down, anyway. All the other heroes were hiding for some reason so I fought the angel lady by myself and tried to kill her. I hit her a few times and blasted her in half but I was trying to save energy and ended up underestimating the bitch and...then you found me."  
  
Greg gaped. "Ho- wha- he- you- whe-...Simurgh?!!!?", Greg questioned/screamed.  
  
Evron slapped a hand over Greg's open mouth and shot him a glare. "Shut up! It's one in the morning. People are asleep...like your mom," hissed Evron. Evron paused for a few seconds. "Okay, she's still sleeping. Go ahead." He removed his hand as Greg nodded his understanding. "And yes, the Simurgh. That bitch is a tricky Precog. Normally, when I use...certain abilities of my power, I'm blank to them but that obviously didn't affect her."  
  
'He fought the Simurgh...by himself. How tough is this guy? Wait...he fought the Simurgh by himself?!!' Greg jumped up on his bed as he came to a realization and raised a fist. "Stay back...,"Greg whispered, his voice wavering.  
  
Evron sighed again. "What is it now?"  
  
Greg gulped, fat droplets of sweat rolling down his face. "Y- y- you fought the Simurgh..."  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"...by yourself?," questioned Greg.  
  
"Why do I feel like we've gone over this already? Yes!"  
  
Greg backed up a few steps on his bed until his back hit the headboard. His breathing became heavy and rather ragged. "Y-y-you're Simurgh affected."  
  
A confused expression passed over Evron's face until he realized what Greg was talking about. "Oh, you mean one of her mental time bombs? No, I'm immune to mind control."  
  
"Really?"  
  
Evron nodded confidently. "You can't get anywhere high in society, politics, business, whatever, in my universe without making sure you're either naturally immune or you've gotten psi-blocker implants." He tapped his left temple for emphasis. "This is locked down tight. Honestly, if i really wanted to kill you, why would I offer you powers first?"  
  
Greg gave a sigh of relief but still stared at Evron with clear suspicion. "That's...good, I guess, but why do you want to...take over the world? That's bad."  
  
"As I was saying before you screamed like a girl, I fought the Simurgh and I almost beat her. I was on my last legs the whole time and nobody else seemed to be helping. Which, now that I think about it, was smart. You did not want to be in the middle of that. I wasn't paying attention to what I hit. She didn't care what she hit. Anyway, after I left your house, I looked up all the problems Earth Bet has to deal with and then I had a...conversation with someone and they gave me a good reason not to leave just yet. Your world is really shitty, Greg."  
  
"No, it's not! I mean..." Greg paused as he began to think.  
  
"My world wasn't perfect. There was prejudice and racism toward metas and mutants. We had giant monsters. We've had them for centuries. We either killed them or kept them under control. We had supervillains. A shit load of supervillains, man but we had at least 20 different prisons for Metas, just in the US. We had ways to handle things. We had a secret organization that kept people calm and stopped them from losing their shit. We had fixed global warming. Your world doesn't seem to have any of what mine had. The way I see it, your world's going to end in twenty-five years, thirty at the most. If these Endbringers don't leave you unable to recover, your Triumvirate will end up dying to some powerful super or team that wants to make a name for themselves and people will lose their shit. Villains will think they're free to do whatever."  
  
Greg simply stared at Evron, mouth slightly open.  
  
  
"Trust me, Greg. Look...my world had issues. There was a global, what's the word...uh...uprising a few decades after people started getting powers. Mutants and their supporters against the bigots who hated mutants. A lot of places were not prepared for superhuman warfare. The British Empire survived because the Royal Family went against most of Parliament and supported mutants. Most of Africa fell to warlords. India, well...India's India. Japan's thriving, though. They embraced mutants like crazy. The US survived because they actually gave mutants their rights...mostly.   
  
When me and my friends became Titanwatch, we were literally the strongest supers in the world. Then shit went south and certain people in high positions decided I needed to go. They framed me and my friends as being criminals and terrorists, making us Public Enemy #1 worldwide. They froze my accounts. My business was taken from me. They tried to arrest our families. Any Blank or Super that was friendly with us or working for Titanwatch was considered a terrorist. We...took offense to that. While we were on the run, we somehow ended up in control of a few small war-torn countries. Other nations took offense to that and eventually, after a lot of crazy shit happened, only a few countries were left. They joined us willingly."  
  
Greg didn't know how to deal with this. He was talking to someone powerful to take over an entire Earth. An Earth that had had capes for over three hundred years. Even without the capes, three hundred years was a long time. There had to be some bullshit Tinkertech designed since then. Fuck, it was three hundred years, there had to be some bullshit regular tech too. Greg dropped himself on the side of his bed and looked up at Evron. "But...taking over the world. Isn't that...kinda...you know, evil?"  
  
Evron sat next to the blonde and placed an arm on Greg's shoulder. "Greg, when I ended up taking over my Earth, I didn't do it because I wanted to rule. I did it because I saw what was going to happen if I didn't. Look, my world had a great infrastructure. It had three hundred years to build it. Yours is crumbling. This world needs us. We can build that infrastructure, Greg. This world doesn't have to end. Look, I don't want to rule. I'm not going to rule."  
  
"You don't? You're not?" Greg replied slowly, his mind racing in an attempt to deal with the bombshells being dropped on him.  
  
Evron gave him a beaming, confident smile and stood up, taking a few steps away from Greg's bed. "Of course not, man. This isn't my universe. I can't stay here forever. I want to give you powers. I want to make you so strong that by the time I leave, no one on this Earth could possibly challenge you. No one. Not the Protectorate, Not the Triumvirate, not the Endbringers, not even Scion. Do you want to rule the world, Greg? Do you want to make sure this world is safe? Do you never, ever want to feel weak and useless again? Gregory Veder, do you want powers?"   
  
Greg stood up immediately and looked Evron directly in the eyes. "Yeah...I...Do it."  
  
Evron's smile, if possible, grew even wider and his metal Tinkertech gauntlets fell off and hovered next to his arms. He took a step forward and his boots parted, staying rooted to the floor while he walked forward. His hair went from a single skunk stripe to complete snow white and his eyes glowed a bright blue. He unhooked the blue studded choker from around his neck and dropped it into a pocket. Greg leaned over and looked at the Tinkertech Evron left behind.  
  
"Don't mind those. They're just power limiters. Safeguards, really. I need to be at full power and in full control for this."   
Evron stretched a hand out and his forefinger began to glow the same shade of blue. His hair began to blow in an invisible wind and Greg felt an unnatural pressure weighing down on him.  
Evron's hand moved closer until it almost reached Greg's forehead and- "Wait!!!"  
  
Evron's hand did not move nor did he stop glowing as he gave Greg a look of intense frustration. "What is it now, Veder?"  
  
Greg gave him a familiar awkward smile. "You sure you can't control what powers you give?"  
  
"I told you. It depends on what you really want." He moved his finger closer and almost touched Greg's forehead. "Ready?"  
  
"Yes. I'm ready." The last thought Greg had before Evron's finger touched his brow was 'I want to be like you.'   
  
\----------------------  
  
No time. No location. No thought.   
  
Whiteness. An unending expanse on the flat ground spread out **FOREVER.** The sky above was black, an infinite thick, tar-like, black spread.  
  
Evron is here. Where? Up. Down. What is up? What is down? He exists. He is everything.  
  
**"Hello, Greg. No, don't bother answering. You can't even process what you're seeing properly, how sad. Only my voice, and barely that. We're outside reality, Greg. All realities. You might wonder why I brought you here. You won't even remember this after we're done but I'm a bit of a showoff. Blame Evron. He taught me all my bad habits. You want to be just like Evron, don't you? He must seem so impressive. A confident little godling with all his impressive tales of heroics to regale you with. The first powered being you ever met. I can make you EXACTLY like him. Do you want that?"**  
  
A pause.  
  
****"You can't answer, silly me. It must be horrible being so pitiful. You're a lot different from Evron. He lives and breathes confidence. He's suited to a harsh life. You're different. You lack that unrestrained self-assurance that Evron takes for granted. You can't be EXACTLY like him...but I can make you a close match."****  
  
****"Thank you for listening to me, Greg. You had no choice, but still.****  
****You're gonna help me a lot, Greg. Have fun."****  
  
\----------------------  
  
He woke up to the bright sunlight shining from a window.  
  
He yawned and lifted his head from his pillow, blinking in an attempt to clear his vision. All of a sudden, the memories from last night hit him like a sledgehammer and he jumped up and looked quickly around, hoping it wasn't a dream. His fears were calmed as he saw Evron smiling at him while seated in his revolving desk chair. "How do you feel, Greg?"  
  
Greg froze as he realized how he felt. Pure, raging fire filled his veins and he basked in the overflowing sense of amazing, vibrant energy that rushed through him. Everything was so clear, so colorful. He could hear so well, smell so crisply. His mind was racing. He felt like he could do anything. He felt **POWERFUL.**  
  
He flexed his muscles and stared at Evron. **"** Fucking Awesome!"  
  
  
  
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
  
  
Every day since then, Evron would work with him on his speed and agility after school. He had told his mom that he was going out running and occasionally going to a gym, to her extreme surprise. He wasn't even lying. Sometimes, they would practice freerunning. Other days, they would test his speed over long distances and occasionally, they would practice wall-running and occasionally flipping. He still needed to work on that. In fact, that would come in handy right now.   
  
With a slight flourish, Greg flipped in midair and kicked off the wall, landing on the paved ground without much trouble. A quiet crackle of a sole on gravel was the only warning he got before Evron suddenly appeared in his face with a hard right.   
  
The strike slammed Greg face first into the ground and left a small depression where his face was. He rolled over on his back and stared upwards at a smirking Evron. 'Cocky bastard. Shit, I'm glad these limiters only drain my speed and strength and not my durability or I'd be done for. I'm probably going to be black and blue all over when I get home.'   
  
He was brought out from his thoughts by Evron's voice. "Well, you gonna get up or are you giving up?"  
  
The inclination to give in passed through Greg's mind before he waved it away. "Hell, no. I'm gonna kick your ass!", he said, despite the fact that his ass was still firmly on the ground.  
  
Evron laughed. "You can try. You suck at dodging. I literally told you what to do. It's not like I yelled out 'Dance!'"  
  
Greg took offense to that. "Did you ever think that yelling out dodge makes it hard for the person to focus on dodging?!!"  
  
"You might have a point...but you still suck at dodging."  
  
Greg flipped back and landed on his feet. "Sia, knives." The devices on his wrist beeped and two thick butcher knives slid out of the silvery metal gauntlets into his awaiting palms. The edges of the knives began to glow a bright gold and Greg leapt forward.  
  
He slashed and stabbed and made every attempt to cut Evron open all the while moving fast enough to outpace the average car. Evron blocked every single one of his strikes with a single finger from his left hand, as if not even trying. Greg's legs were not idle throughout his attempt to perforate his white-haired sensei. At least one foot was engaged in a flurry of kicks every moment he felt he had an opening. Those all missed their target even though he didn't seem to this to be moving.  
  
"How are you doing this?" Greg growled as he attempted to slash Evron's jugular only to be blocked by the bastard's fucking pinky.  
  
"I'm better than you," Evron shot back with the utter smugness of someone who felt he was always right.  
  
"You're a horrible person," replied Greg, in the middle of stabbing Evron in the eyes.  
  
"I've been informed of that," responded the smug bastard. With a small movement of his left hand, he knocked the knives out of Greg's hands and they cut deeply through the paved ground like...knives through butter. "Use your blades, young Veder," he said in what was actually a rather good impersonation of some ancient Chinese master.  
  
Greg scowled playfully at him and closed his eyes, balled his fists and began to focus. After almost thirty seconds, two wide, six-inch long, gold, spade-like energy blades grew from Greg's balled fists. Greg opened his eyes and stared them. They appeared rather blunt and but he and Evron had tested them on boats at the Ship Graveyard. They sliced through without any resistance. "Finally. It only took like half a minute this time."  
  
Evron snickered. "Yeah, thirty seconds in a fight where the other guy's not going to be waiting patiently for you to grow your energy blades. Let's do this, Greg."  
  
Evron held his hand up and dozens of blue, baseball-sized energy balls appeared above it. "Let's play dodgeball." A smile that Greg could familiarly describe as vicious appeared on his face.  
  
"Fuck me with a rusty fuck-stick," muttered Greg.  
  
The barrage of balls shot at him moving at least twenty miles an hour and Greg slashed at them with his golden energy blades. Several were batted away and dissipated, a few were cut in half but most struck Greg all over, feeling exactly like baseballs on his toughened skin. Eventually, the bombardment ended and Greg asked the question he'd been waiting to ask. "Can we go home for a break now? My mom's working tonight. We'll have all night to practice. She made spaghetti, too." , he added as an afterthought. Evron loved to eat.  
  
"Ehhhh...I just don't knooooowwww...maybe..."Evron continued to make a show of thinking about it while Greg prayed silently behind him. "Fine, if you're gonna whine about it."  
  
Greg raised an arm half-heartedly. "Yay."  
  
"But first..."  
  
"Nay..."  
  
"Man up, Greg. Let me see how strong your blasts have gotten."  
  
"Fine." Greg may have acted tired but he really did love firing off his energy blasts. They were so fun. He wasn't very skilled and they felt like baby tickles at a farther range than two feet away, 7 feet with the limiters off, but he loved them. With a mild grunt, Greg channeled the energy he had in his body, Zirin is what Evron had called it, to his hands and pushed it out. Twin golden beams as wide as Greg's arms shot from his hands and impacted the wall of an abandoned warehouse, three feet away.  
  
The golden lights tore through the wall with no resistance at all, utterly destroying the section of wall it came in contact with. The golden death beam continued until it hit the next wall and simply splashed against it, refusing to go any further despite how much energy Greg pushed into it. Greg stopped channeling his Zirin and let the fire in his veins calm down before turning to face Evron.  
  
Evron smiled. "At least your range has gotten a little longer. That's at least three and a half feet with the limiters on."  
  
"Can we go now?" Greg whined, sounding more like a six year old than the sixteen year old he was.  
  
"Let's go, Greg." Evron began to walk out of the warehouse docking area, Greg a bit behind.. " Wait, one more thing..."  
  
Greg paused. "What?"  
  
"Dodge!"  
  
"AAAHHH!!!" Greg cried out as he was slammed back into a warehouse wall by an unseen force.  
  
"Hahahahahahaha!!! Learn to dodge, man!"  
  
"Goddamn it!! Evron!!!"


	12. Interlude 1c: Evron Grey

Interlude 1c

Evron Grey

 

The dictionary defines evil as something or someone that is profoundly immoral, wicked, depraved, corrupt, degenerate, harmful or undesirable. An evil person seeks to harm others for it's own enjoyment. An evil person is malevolent towards others and does not care for their suffering. An evil person destroys the lives of others without regard for their well-being.

I am Evron Grey and I am evil.

Less than ten hours ago, I attacked a group of drunk gang members attempting to kill two black teens. I beat them bloody. I burnt others. A few unlucky ones ended up torn apart. A normal person...a good person would feel at least a shred of regret. Those men probably had families. I know one had a daughter. He told me about her while he begged me not to kill him. I couldn't really make out his words through his tears but I'm pretty sure I understood what he meant to say. He hoped that telling me about his family would make me show him mercy. He was right. I didn't kill him. The burns I gave him were punishment enough. Fun fact, Do you know humans smell and taste like pork? I had learned that before firsthand, but apparently I forgot. Funny how small things like that can slip your mind.

I was still covered in their blood. Thankfully, it had dried off. I doubt Greg would be happy if I sat on his desk chair while covered in the blood of Nazis.  
I wasn't even angry at them. I was mad at Nexus, the smug bastard...and I expressed that rage on targets that made themselves available.

 

I watched as Greg slept, unaware of my vigil. I didn't need to sleep anymore. I didn't need to eat. I didn't need to breathe. I was no longer human. If anything, I was closer to whatever type of being that Nexus was and I hated it. I did not regret the power it gave me. I hated what it had turned me into.

I had told Greg that I wanted to help him save his world. I had lied to him. I cared about his world less than Nexus did, meaning I couldn't care less if it exploded right now. There were infinite iterations of just this version of Greg's Earth. I did not want anything to do with this Earth. What I wanted was Greg.

It wasn't a sexual thing. I had a fiance. Even if I was attracted to men, I'm confident that I could do better than Greg. I needed Greg to be my minder, to remind me that I was human. I had been surrounded by my friends for years. Most of them never realized that I never created Titanwatch to protect the world. I did it so that they could protect the world from me. Only Anton and my Lia; beautiful, wonderful, Lia, knew how I really felt. They had been there to ground me, to keep me stable. I had changed when I had become what I was now.

As a human, I had Dissociative Identity Disorder and I had to deal with that along with the joy of growing up with Nexus in my head. After I had died and come back roughly a year later with my body irrevocably altered, Ascended being the term Nexus used, my Identities were no longer fragmented but had merged with me. At any provocation, I could be on a roaring rampage. At the smallest compliment, I could be preening myself in vanity. When pushed to far, I would make rather brutal choices.

I didn't want that. I wanted to be good for the sake of being good, like Paragon or Exemplar. It's ironic that I killed all the male heroes that I looked up to but things are funny that way. The only one left that I looked up to was Anton and he was my best friend. I missed my old self so much. If I could describe myself now, I'd say that I lacked humanity. My friends didn't realize that. They just thought I was harsher and more sadistic because of the fact that I died but that wasn't the whole truth. The normal inhibitions I used to have were gone. I could control my reactions but I no longer felt the desire to. Why should I lower myself to limit my behavior for simple humans? I was above that.

That! That right there. It was those types of thoughts that made me realize I needed Greg. He reminded me so much of my friends. He was just as awkward as Aren. If Greg wore glasses and had brown hair, I could swear that they were twins. It was people like Aren who I lived for. My friends were what grounded me. When I was around them, I was whole...calm...at peace. My thoughts were more focused. I was no longer controlled by my whims. I focused on the well-being of others...of them, rather than my own sadistic, prideful impulses. God, I wish I was as good as I pretended to be. I was a monster, no doubt about it. But I was a monster on a leash, much like Eldritch, now that I think about it. And like Eldritch, our friends kept us fro turning into unrecognizable, unstoppable monsters.

I had to make Greg need me. He had to be my friend. The main reason I Evolved him from human to metahuman because I knew he had to see me on some level as an equal. Greg liked me already but I could tell It was simple admiration. Hero worship just wasn't enough for me. That wasn't friendship at all. It would fade eventually. It would be child's play to simply compel him to be my friend but that wouldn't be fair. I needed a friend who knew me as me. A friend that could keep me stable.

I didn't care what Greg did with this world after we took over. He could rule it like a king or he could simply leave with me and join me on Earth Grey. I didn't care. I knew when Greg would truly be a lifelong friend. It was one of my powers. One of my natural powers, not simply an offshoot of being whatever Nexus was. I could already feel the bond between us. If I wanted to, I could control his thought patterns without even trying, sculpting the path he would take for the rest of his life with a stray sentence. I didn't, of course. I could never willingly compel a friend. The moment I no longer had the ability to mold Greg's thought pattern, I would know we were friends till death. Until then, I would wait, doing my best to be the best friend he had ever had and will ever have.

What time is it? Huh...already 7:00. Greg's mom had left for work just thirty minutes ago. She had poked her head in the door to check on him and left just as quickly. Golden blonde hair down to her shoulders, glasses, and a slightly chubby frame. She was actually rather pretty. Then again, I always did like blondes.

A beam of sunlight from his window hits Greg's face and he begins to twitch. I sit up slowly and stare at him with renewed focus. I expected the process to knock him out for some time. I simply expected him to wake up much earlier. He opens his eyes and I see the gold light shining behind them, signifying the power he is still unaware of. He stood up and I spoke.

"How do you feel, Greg?"

I see him close his eyes and take a deep breath, a golden aura flaring around him for a single second before disappearing. Greg was silent for a time, enjoying the energizing burn of his new power. I watched as the Zirin in his bloodstream rushed through his body, energizing every cell and optimizing his body. He was weak now but I'd make him unstoppable.

"Fucking awesome!"

Greg was happy. That was good. I felt the unbridled joy coming from him and I was at peace.

My name is Evron Grey and I will do everything in my power to make sure that as long as I am on this Earth, I will not let myself lose control. Not to my rage, not to my pride, not to my logic, not to my happiness, and certainly not to my own darkness.


	13. Interlude 2a: Titanwatch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We meet Evron's friends and learn a little bit of what's going on.

**Interlude 2a  
**  
  
**Titanwatch Interlude**  
  
  
Washington, DC  
  
  
Nina Mores looked up at the fifty-story skyscraper in front of her, tiny butterflies in her stomach. It had been over a week since she had been here. Ever since the news had hit the planet that the young self-declared Head of the Terran Council had disappeared while off-planet fighting against a preemptive invasion of Earth and the world was in an uproar.  
  
Many people on Earth and a large number of superhumans viewed him as an unbelievable god-like figure. The thought that he could be gone had caused riots as people feared the problems of the past would rear their unwanted heads again. It had taken Atlas visiting many places worldwide before they calmed down. Head Councillor Grey may be their leader but Atlas was their hero. His presence was all that was necessary to calm any hotheads.  
  
Nina glanced around as hundreds of other people made their way inside the tall headquarters of the Titanwatch Organization. It was terrifying knowing that Titan was missing. He was what had held the world together during the horrors the world had faced just a few short years ago. Governments had fallen but Titanwatch had risen, acting as the world's government and setting up small local governments worldwide. The day the Councillor had dissapeared, Titanwatch had informed all non-essential personnel at the Head DC office that they were on paid leave and not to report to Titanwatch HQ until given clearance. That clearance had been given the night before.  
  
Gathering her confidence, Nina entered the building and made her way past security until she made her way to the Director's private elevator. As she made her way to the top floor, she began to think about the various oddities that made her job what it was.  
  
Despite the fact that she only reported to the Chief Director himself, Nina was just a simple secretary. Twenty-six years old and a graduate from an average college, she was an absolute nobody. She had no real skills and no real ability. She wasn't even an official agent of Titanwatch. She had only been working for Mr. Ford for a month and all she had done was get coffee and snacks for her boss and occasionally listen to him rant about whatever idiot was making his job harder. She was well aware that unlike other employees and agents of Titanwatch, she did nothing at all important and got paid rather well for it.  
  
Nina was also aware that she was hired for her looks above all. She never tried to delude herself for it. Honestly, she didn't even think she was that pretty. Her hair was a light brown with only the slightest bit of life to it and her face was slightly better than average, which wasn't saying much. The only area she knew she excelled in was her tits and ass. Her current size, a 36 Double F, was kept unnaturally perky by her liberal use of gene mods and her ass, well, her ass was naturally fat. She knew what her body looked like and she made sure to emphasize it every time her boss was around. It was her constant daydream that maybe, just maybe, he would get horny enough and bend her over his large desk and just fuck her until she passed out.  
  
It probably wouldn't happen any time soon, but a girl could dream...and dream...and dream.  
  
Mr. Ford was known for going through a lot of secretaries, all of them pretty, young and well endowed. He had only had this job for two years and she was the thirteenth secretary already. Most likely, he had fucked every single one of the others. As she walked down the silvery walls of the top floor of Titanwatch HQ, large datapad in hand, she unzipped her top until she was sure plenty of flesh was visible and hiked up her already rather short black skirt. She didn't know why the other secretaries lost their positions but she was not going to lose this cushy job over something as small as her dignity.  
  
As Nina reached the dark, tinted glass of her boss's door, she placed her hand on it and felt the familiar heat of the sensor as it scanned her biometrics. A seam appeared in the side of the door and she pushed it open. She took a deep breath in an attempt to make her chest even more impressive but quickly let it out in a strangled cough as she realized just who was standing in front of her.  
  
Seven feet and six inches of massive, firm, brown-toned muscle stood in her way, dwarfing her small frame. She stepped back and gave the figure a closer look. It was a man, obviously. A man dressed in a sleeveless formfitting red, white and blue one piece made out of the same skin-tight, ultra fine, mesh-like bulletproof fabric all high level Titanwatch agents had. Silver manacle were worn on his arms that matched his silver belt. Across his shoulders was a voluminous red and white cape and emblazoned on his chest was a bright white compass with red accents.  
  
Nina froze as she realized who stood in front of her.  
  
His confident, booming voice broke her from her stupor. "Miss, are you all right? Miss? Miss?"  
  
She blinked a few times and forced herself to stop staring at the way his extremely defined muscles rippled visibly under his costume. "Huh...uh...uh...yeah," she sputtered, her eyes tracing the rather...proportionately-sized bulge in his suit. 'Oh my god! Stop looking!!! It's creepy!!!' "I'm...uh...you...you...y-you're Atlas...THE Atlas?"  
  
Atlas smiled at her in a way that honestly made her weak at the knees and more than a little wet just below her waist, but before he could answer, someone else spoke first.  
  
"Of course he's THE Atlas. Who else would be as tall, dark and handsome as my hubby here?," spoke a smooth, seductive voice. A woman's figure strutted out from behind Atlas and Nina was dumbstruck again. Long platinum blonde hair, full lips turned up in a confident smile, sharp blue eyes, and wearing a black bustier that showed off her own impressive assets and black pants, both made of the same skintight Titanwatch fibers. The heroine that stood in front of her was Dana Grey; also known as Lioness, wife of Atlas, hero of Titanwatch and sister to the Head Councillor. "I assume you're here for a reason?"  
  
Nina gaped before catching herself. "Y-y...yeah, I mean, yes, ma'am. I'm here to...uh...," Again her mind hit a blank, leaving her looking like an idiot in front of two of the world's greatest heroes. She simply kept staring at both of their bodies, transfixed by their superhuman physiques.  
  
"She's here to see me," spoke the voice of her boss, Titanwatch Director, Aren Ford. Nina stepped past the two heroes and froze again. "She is my secretary, after all. Stop harassing her when she's just trying to do her job."  
  
Nina loved working for her boss. He was a handsome, bespectacled twenty-year old who held one of the most powerful positions in the world and he wasn't an arrogant douche about it...well, not completely but she liked that. Normally, she would be trying her best not to blush every morning when he would compliment her outfit or touch her a little bit longer than normal. Today, he seemed to be doing her best to leave her stupefied. She had just spoken to two of the world's most famous heroes and in front of her, spread around the Director's white office, were four more of them.  
  
Nina stood stock still and everyone in the room watched as her facial expressions seemed to go from excited to mortified to awestruck and terrified and back again. She had only been Director Ford's secretary for a month and she was already meeting the Alphas of Titanwatch. Every single person in here was a member of the Titanwatch Council and each were in charge of a facet of the World Government. It was all she could do not to faint. As it was, she did stumble a bit.  
  
Aren sighed and stood up from behind his desk, dusting off his completely white suit as he did so and straightening his glasses. "Ms. Morse, why don't you go and get us a few boxes of donuts? Take your time."  
  
Nina nodded shakily and tried to respond only to emit a squeak. She slapped a hand over her mouth and backed out of the room slowly, eyes never leaving the heroes.  
  
As soon as the tinted black door shut behind her, Aren looked up at his stark white ceiling. "We're starting immediately, Eldritch. Stop hiding and get down here right now." His voice was firm and rather stern, like a parent talking to a child.  
  
The white ceiling began to ripple like a pond as a small black spot of what looked like tar appeared in the center and began to bubble and shift, spreading downwards like a stalactite. After a few seconds, the tar-like substance had stopped shifting. In it's place was a young man with short, spiky, black hair dressed in a black suit and round black glasses standing on the ceiling as if it was child's play. He dropped to the ground with barely a sound and gave Aren a rather wide smile. "Wasn't that your new secretary, Aren? Hmmm...I like her. She's certainly...bouncy."  
  
Aren affixed him with a glare. "Eld, stop it. Don't mess with this one. I can't afford to keep letting secretaries go."  
  
Eld's smile stretched even wider until it reached the side of his eyes, showing off his sparkling white set of razor sharp teeth. "Of course. I wouldn't dare mess with her. After all, it's none of my business if you meet someone new. You're not the only one who likes girls."  
  
Aren's glare increased in intensity. "I'm serious. Don't fuck with her head."  
  
Eld pouted and sighed dramatically, his suit seeming to ripple with the exhalation. "Alright, alright. Why don't you declare all fun illegal?"  
  
Aren continued to stare at El until he dropped his smile. "Okay...We're here for one reason and one reason only." He paused and turned his head, glancing at all the people in his office. "We need to find Evron...immediately. People are terrified. With him missing, they're already worrying about stability. Craig, any luck?" Aren's eyes went to his couch where a figure was lying face up.  
  
Craig was a rather thin guy with long, shaggy brown hair. He wore a blue muscle shirt and blue jeans. The only sign that he wasn't human was the fact that his eyes were black with green pupils and that his arms were unproportionally large for his body and had what looked like paneling running up and down them.  
  
He sat up and leaned back on the couch, hands crossed behind his head. "Well...from all the data that I've compiled from my scanners and sensors, there is no trace of Evron's massive Zirin signature in any part of the galaxy that I am able to scan for. MAI is still in her lab monitoring every single sensor we have but...we can either assume that the Boss is either dead or he's so far away that our scanners can't find him. I'll remind you that I built all our scanners and they're pretty fucking powerful so...yeah. I mean, he could be-"  
  
"He's not dead," interrupted a soft voice from across the room. Sitting on a soft-looking white armchair was a robed young woman dressed all in white with gold trim. She had back length golden blonde hair done in layers and soft round eyes with scarlet pupils. She seemed to be backlit by a soft golden glow that made her hair stand out even more.  
  
Craig sat up and leaned forward on the couch, stifling a yawn as he did so. "Look, Lia...Princess, I'm not saying he's dead but what if he is? Dying's apparently not a big deal to the Boss. He's come back before."  
  
Lia looked at him with an expression that was too kind to be considered a glare. "He is not dead. I can still feel the bond that my beloved has with me. All of you can feel it. Due to your somewhat mechanical nature, your awareness of the bond you share is dulled. Regardless, Lord Nexus would not let him die."  
  
Atlas stepped forward into the center of the large office, his voluminous scarlet cape fluttering behind him. "Princess is right. I do still feel like Ev is alive. He just doesn't feel like he's... **here** ," Anton said, stressing the last word. "It feels the same as when he was lost when chasing Space & Time. Eva, you remember, right?", Anton gestured towards to the female figure leaning on the far left wall. "Sis?"  
  
She clicked her tongue in an annoyed manner and nodded her head, her short pink hair shifting as she did so. "Yeah, I remember. How couldn't I? I was almost pulled in with him. Your bond with him is almost as strong as his girl. you would know better than I would." After pausing, she continued. " So what? You think he's reality jumping again? That sounds more plausible than him being dead." She stood up from the wall and stretched slightly. All she wore was a sleeveless white Titanwatch fiber bodysuit with pink hearts emblazoned on her chest as her insignia. A pink pair of sunglasses hid her eyes.  
  
"That's right," spoke another. "Evron is strong, stronger than ever." The voice came from a young olive-skinned man standing with his face to a wall-length window. His thick, curly black hair was long and unkempt, reaching his shoulders. He wore no shirt, showing off the several rather large scars and intricate tattoos of sea creatures that adorned his torso. His only clothing was a pair of short black swim trunks and a thick silver armband. On his back was a large harpoon. "He is missing, not dead," he continued in clipped, gruff tones.  
  
Eldritch chuckled softly and stepped forward toward Aren's desk, his steps making no sound. "Aleks makes a good point. Our Great and Powerful Councillor is stronger than ever. I doubt he needs us to look for him. He'll find his way back on his own. He is Evron, after all."  
  
Aren stood up again and slammed his hands on the white desk in front of him, making the material emit an audible groan. Despite the visible anger on his face, his voice was still as calm as ever. "That's not the point, El. That's not the point at all. I told you I left the Alphas of Titanwatch because I felt I was not good enough to be one of you anymore. I wasn't strong enough. That was a lie. I left because I was scared that one day I would be caught in a situation that my power could not help me get out of. We lost Angelo, we lost Takumi, Cesar, Tisha, Jani, Kevin, Nell, Cris, Bart, we...lost...we...we lost Luther. All gone, all...dead."  
  
Atlas held up a large hand. "Aren, look...", he began in a soft tone that sounded at odds with his booming voice.  
  
"Let me finish, Anton." Aren took a deep breath and straightened his glasses before continuing. "All of them had more reliable powers than I did. I...I was just scared I'd be the next one gone. Then Niko left. Anna, Ben, Maria, Jak, Cole, Vick, Erek, Naida, Aidan, Brit, Vance, Li, Amira, Zelda, Dan, Brick. They all left the Alphas because compared to you guys, they were fodder...and they knew it. The only ones out of those guys on your level were Niko, Jak, and Cole and they left because they knew odds were they'd be first to die. We're going to find Ev because he's our friend and him being missing is the same as him being dead. He brought us together. He made us feel like we were worth something and he always had our backs. I...We need him." As he finished, Aren sat down, reached into his pocket, brought out a quarter and began flipping it in an attempt to calm his nerves.  
  
The room was silent for over a full minute. The silence was broken by Anton walking to Aren's side and placing a hand on his shoulder. "I know how you feel, Aren. Ev did a lot for you. He did a lot for me, too."  
  
Turning back to face everyone in the room, Anton raised his arms. " Look, most of us would be here today if it was not for Evron. Hell, the Earth probably wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for Evron. He was our friend when we needed it. He laughed with us, he fought with us, he fought for us, he bled for us, he died for us. When he was gone, we didn't act like a family. We barely acted like friends. We did a job and we went home. When he came back, we were whole again. Eva, Ev pushed you out of Paragon's way when he tried to kill you again. He took a hit that would've killed you and he didn't hesitate. You hated him back then because you thought he killed Dad. When you asked him why he saved you after you tried to kill him, what did he say?"  
  
Eva smiled sadly. "He said 'You're still my friend, whether you hate me or not.'"  
  
Anton nodded calmly. "Craig, when Mayhem took your legs and arm, what was the first thing Ev did when you woke up?"  
  
"He offered me his own," Craig drawled, rolling his oddly colored eyes.  
  
Anton laughed as well before turning to Dana. "Dana..."  
  
She rolled her eyes as well, looking at her fingernails. "He's my little brother...and my boss. A pain in the ass on both counts but sure, whatever. I love him, I guess."  
  
Anton gave her a blank look. "Thank you, sweetheart. Princess, who was the only one who was able to help you deal with your Bloodrage?"  
  
Lia's hair became streaked with red and her soft golden aura became a harsh red. Her expression changed from a kind smile to a vicious one. "Why, my beloved, of course. Who else would ever dare to even think they could lecture me other than him?"  
  
"Thank you. Aleksandr...Megalodon, when you were stranded on that desert planet, what did Evron do for you before you could starve?"  
  
Aleksandr closed his eyes and smiled, his abnormally sharp white teeth glistening. "He tore his arm off every night until we were rescued to give me something to eat. He is a true friend."  
  
Anton gave a slight grimace. "Yeah...okay. El, we all know what Evron did for you."  
  
Eldritch raised one side of his mouth in a mocking smirk. "Of course. My dashing hero Ev. When I lost myself to all the millions of minds trapped inside me and tried to kill everyone everywhere, he punched me in the face until I was myself again. Isn't he just wonderful?"  
  
Anton glanced at Eldritch with a look that said that he wasn't sure if he was being sarcastic or not. "My point is, Evron did a lot for all of us. He's had our backs. He needs us to have his back as much as he has ours."  
  
Craig coughed loudly, trying and failing to hold back a laugh. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt but you're obviously joking, right? The Boss is a step above us. We're all Z-Class. We should be the strongest fucking things ever but Evron...he could kick our asses if he went all out. Not like he ever really tries...but still. He has Nexus, a fucking godthing, inside of him. I'm pretty sure he can't die for good.. Why does he and why would he...ever need us to have his back?"  
  
Anton gave Craig an understanding look. "I understand where you're coming from, Craig. Ev is," Anton grimaced, trying to think of something, "...Ev. That's why he's The Boss but he still needs us. We ground him. We make sure he realizes that he's still a person and not just a force of nature. With Nexus whispering in his ear, he might lose himself. We need him because he reminds us that there will always be someone stronger. He's the Boss for a reason and we're gonna get him back. Nothing and no one will stand in our way. Is that clear, Titanwatch?!"  
  
" **YES, SIR!!,"** resounded the voices of everyone in the office.  
  
"Good. Now let's find our Councillor and put him back on the throne," Anton boomed.


	14. Complications 2.1

Complications 2.1

 

"Okay, class. It's time for all of you to break off into groups," Mr. Gladly began, a playful grin on his face. "I told you all to be ready with your lists of parahumans and how they've affected the world. I'll give you a little bit of time to get together and prepare. Remember, best group gets prizes from the vending machine."

The class made a few vaguely excited sounds and the majority began to get up and move their desks over to their friends. Almost immediately, people started talking about topics that had absolutely nothing to do with the assignment but then again, Mr. Gladly didn't care. Greg sat in his desk for a few moments, adjusting his rather large hoodie and making sure his face was somewhat hidden. It had been just a little over a month since Greg had made the leap from human to metahuman. Over a month of running, jumping, lifting, blasting, and spontaneous sessions of extremely high speed dodgeball had turned Greg into a physically fit superhuman specimen.

Before Greg had met Evron, he was as healthy and physically fit as your average skinny white male nerd. Pasty, acne-ridden, and with muscle tone that could kindly be described as flaccid, Greg was no male model. After just one month of being an Evolved, everything was different even without the superpowers. His acne was gone, his skin had gone from pasty vampire to porcelain movie star. He had muscles. They weren't big but they were visible and rather well defined, if he did say so himself. They were visible enough that he had woken up early and spent almost an hour in his bathroom admiring his new physique in the mirror. Visible enough that he had to hide them with a baggy hoodie if he didn't want questions that he couldn't answer. Greg didn't mind, though. Evron had promised him that, come summertime, he could let his guns out. Greg couldn't help but be giddy. After all, he had ABS!!!

After he gathered his things together, Greg stood up and dragged his chair over to the one person he knew wouldn't have partnered up with anyone else.

"Hey, Sparky."

Sparky looked up, a dazed look on his face, and brushed the hair out of his eyes. "Hey, brah. I'm not gonna be much help. I didn't do the work." His red bandana, which normally kept his long black hair out of his eyes, was loose.

Greg leaned back in his chair. "No prob, Sparky. I got you covered. I did everything. My list is probably the best."

"Thanks, man. So, what's up?" Sparky said as he rested his chin on his palm.

"You remember that guy I told you I met a while ago?"

Sparky closed one eye and made a face that let Greg know he was thinking. "Yeah. I think so...maybe. Some weird vato with weird hair...yeah. You told me, brah."

"Me and him have been meeting up. He's been helping me work out and stuff. He's a pretty cool guy. He thinks I have potential."

Sparky paused for a few seconds as he yawned widely and then gave Greg a sleepy grin. "So, brah, you're into guys now? I though you still liked that girl with the long hair...um, what's her name...Tara."

Rolling his eyes, Greg snorted in an attempt to hold back his laughter. "Sparky, you're barely funny. Seriously, you know her name is Taylor." Greg had had a crush on Taylor Hebert since the first time he had seen her. Something about her had caught his eye the second he spotted her. He wasn't blind, though. He knew that Taylor's friends were hot and plenty of other girls at school were pretty enough but Taylor was different. She was just so composed and stoic. To Greg, she was almost like royalty in the way she behaved. It was a subtle attraction but his infatuation was no less powerful. Her long hair and legs didn't hurt either.

Sparky turned his head slightly. " I guess. I don't really care. She's kinda rude, no joke."

Greg winced. He couldn't lie to himself that Taylor did have a habit of ignoring people sometimes. "No, no, she's not. She's just...busy with her own stuff."

The blank look he received in return told him exactly what Sparky thought of his reply.

Sparky sat up and yawned again. "Seriously, brah. You've tried to talk to her like a hundred times already and she just, like, straight ignores you. She acts like you're not even there sometimes. That's just not cool, brah. If it was me, I'd me majorly butthurt."

"Look, look, look, Sparky. It's not like that. I fuck up when I get around her. I act stupid and say real dumb things. Besides, she's busy with her friends and stuff and she doesn't really talk to people, yeah, but she's got a lot to deal with, you know...Like, you know the thing with the locker. People are seriously jealous of her and they're so messed up that they shoved her in a locker full of that nasty shit, man, and she still comes back to school like a fucking boss. Like it doesn't even bother her. She's like fucking royalty, dude. She's way better than them and they know it. That's why they're so jealous." Greg's eyes were almost sparkling as he spoke, his raw emotions bleeding through his words.

Sparky whistled softly. "Wow, brah..."

Greg nodded. "See, you get it now. She's pretty awesome."

Sparky snorted. "...You're so fucking whipped," he said, shaking his head. "And by a girl who only notices you when we're in a group together. " Sparky craned his neck upward and stared out at the class. "Where is your queen anyway, brah?

Greg let out a huff as his eyes passed over the room. "She went to the nurse. She had a pretty bad headache or something."

"What's wrong with you?" Sparky asked, an expression of shock on his normally dazed face.

Greg quirked an eyebrow. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Your queen is sick and you're not there to take care of her. She could, like, be dying without you there to make it all better. Not cool, brah, not cool," Sparky replied, shaking his head sadly.

Greg rolled his eyes again. "Again, you're just so funny, Sparky. Either way, look, I like her, yeah, but that's kinda it. She doesn't like me back. I'm pretty sure, at least."

"Yeah...that's heavy, brah."

"So I have to chill. I can't just like talk to her when all that that comes out is stuff she thinks is stupid. So, I have to – Oh...great."

Greg groaned softly as one of the popular girls who occasionally hung around Taylor walked in to class, late.  
Sparky smirked at Greg's annoyance.

“Can I be in Madison’s group?” Julia asked Mr. Gladly.

“That wouldn’t be fair. Greg’s group only has him and...uh...uh...one other person. Help them,” Mr. Gladly said.

Julia walked over to where the two boys were sitting and made a face. Just loud enough for Sparky and Greg, with his enhanced condition, to hear, she muttered a disgusted, “Ew.”

'Well, fuck you too,' Greg thought with a blank expression on her face.

"Gladly says I have to work with you two," the girl said with a sneer.

"Of course he did," Greg mumbled with a roll of his eyes. "Okay...what do you have for your list of parahumans.?"

She scoffed. "I didn't do the project, idiot. God, didn't you do it? You better have done it. I'm not getting an F 'cause you weirdos didn't do anything."

'And the bitching begins.'

 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Greg sighed as he left his last class for the day. Mr. Gladly's class had really taken a turn for the worse as soon as Julia had shown up. Madison and her other friends had moved their desks right next to Greg's group so they could talk to Julia and annoy the shit out of Greg. 'Why does Taylor even hang with those bitches? All they did was bitch and insult other people. Fucking ridiculous!' Madison and her group had spent almost the entire time sniping at both him and Sparky. 'Stupid bitches.'

Despite all that, Greg was happy. Things were really looking up for him. Sure, there were assholes at school, but he had friends now. Well, a friend. Sparky had been Greg's friend since last school year and he was a cool guy. He worked hard at his dad's restaurant so he was usually too tired to seriously hang out but he was still Greg's only friend. He liked video games, Aleph anime imports, capes and occasionally, he liked to relax with some weed. Greg had even lit up with him a couple times. Smoking really wasn't his thing but he didn't mind it if it was just him and Sparky relaxing.

Then he met Evron and things had gotten even better.

He had become a parahuman, or was it a metahuman, or maybe Evolved. One of those was the right term for whatever he was now. Ev was the best thing that had ever happened to him. He was strong and fast. He could lift a car and outrun one too. He couldn't imagine how much better he would get in the future. 'I have to work on my attacks, though. Ev did mention that he's going to let me go fight gangsters on my own soon. Maybe some anime will give me some ideas.'

Lost in daydreams of Buster Beams, Final Flashes and Spirit Guns, Greg made his way towards the school's main double doors.

"Veder, you think you can walk out on me again? Where's my fucking money, Veder?!"a deep voice roared.

'Fuck me!'

Greg hunched down in his oversized hoodie, ignored the voice and continued walking down the hallway. Students that were previously in a hurry to get out of school slowed down, hoping to see a fight break out. He noticed some of them sending him knowing smirks. 'Assholes. You just want to see me get beat up.'

"Veder? Veder! Turn the fuck around!!!"

Greg sped up his pace, keeping his eyes firmly on the double doors ahead of him. 'Just get to the doors, Greg. Just get to the doors.'

"VEDER!!!"

With a quick movement, Greg sidestepped the large arm that had attempted to grab his shoulder and whipped around to face his would-be assailant and his group of friends. 'Fucking Mal...,' he mentally growled as he looked up at the towering beast in front of him.

At a height of six feet and seven inches, Malcolm "Mal" Steiger, was the biggest guy in school and a sworn E88 since the day he showed up. Malcolm had been a football star, a quarterback who had been kicked off the team at his old school in New York for using steroids. After that, his family had moved to Brockton Bay and Malcolm had found solace with one of The Bay's lovable group of racists. Being blonde, blue-eyed, massively muscular and extremely angry, Mal was exactly what the E88 was looking for.

"Veder, you fucking playing with me? Huh?!", Mal barked, his large neck veins bulging, "It's been weeks and my boys told me you haven't been bringing them what you owe me. I'm the only thing keeping these chinks from killing your skinny ass and you can't even show me respect. I called your fucking name and you don't even turn around! Where's my fucking money?!" he roared, spittle flying from his mouth. Greg saw a male teacher standing down the hall look like he was about to say something but a glance at Mal's normal group of E88 recruits as they attempted to look threatening had him shake his head and walk back into his class.

'Fucking help you are. Fucking Winslow.'

Greg grit his teeth and took a deep breath, ignoring the voice inside his head that said to crush Mal's head like a grape. He knew he could do it. The Boss had shown him that he was strong enough. It would be so easy too. Just slap his head faster than he could react and Mal's brains, the little that he had, would go splattering against the wall. Greg wasn't scared of any of the bullies anymore. It was hard to be scared of a roided up seventeen year old when you've taken a brick wall to the face. He knew hurting them would be meaningless even though it would make him feel so much better. It would prove that these powers were usable for much more than just training...but it wouldn't be worth it at all. Mal was just one of many bullies in Winslow and compared to others, he wasn't that bad. Sure, he demanded money from him but he never actually beat him up.

No, Greg being blond and blue eyed earned him a pass in Mal's eyes. In fact, all the E88 bullies never seriously messed with Greg. Vague physical threats were made, yeah, but they were pretty much required to do that. Greg was a huge geek. They were huge bullies. They would never get along. Every time Greg passed by them, he could literally see them restraining themselves from kicking his ass. It was in their nature so they had to do something somewhat threatening otherwise they'd just be scenery.

The Merchants never bullied him but honestly the Merchants rarely messed with anybody in school other than the ABB and E88. They were too busy skipping school or sleeping during class. No, the main efforts of Greg's bullying came from the students that were ABB. Apparently, they had all held a meeting and come to the amazing decision that since Greg was the biggest example of whiteness that they could find at Winslow that wasn't part of the E88, they would do their utmost to make him an E88 member by making him hate all Asians. They had beaten him up, taken his backpack, broken into his locker, and mugged him for his money. At least Mal and the other E88 guys had the decency of asking him for his money, albeit somewhat forcefully.

'Calm down, Greg. What did Evron say? If I want to keep a secret identity, I have to act the same as I always did.'Greg took a deep breath and fixed his face into the biggest nervous smile he could muster before looking up at Mal. 'And that means acting like I'm still scared of this shitty meathead.' "I-I'm sorry, Mal. I didn't hear you. I-I wasn't paying attention. I'm r-r-really sorry," stuttered Greg.

'Fuck my life. Was I really this sad before?'

Mal's expression changed from an angry snarl to a slight grimace of disgust. "Fine, whatever. Where's the money, Veder?"

Greg attempted to make himself look smaller, all the while hating the fact that he had to degrade himself in front of some Nazi asshole. "I only have a five on me, Mal. I'm really sorry," he lied through his teeth. Greg began to seethe even more as he realized a lot of students had gathered, making a circle surrounding Mal and himself and blocking all his escape paths. For some odd reason, Sophia, Emma, Madison all stood in front. Taylor stood right next to Sophia, holding hands with her and looking incredibly uncomfortable, almost like she was in pain. 'She looks like she wants to do something. Maybe she can't get past all the people in the crowd. Nobody else is even trying to get any help. I can't use my powers to get out of this! Where the fuck are all the teachers?'

Mal lunged forward and Greg watched him approach, his movement painfully slow to Greg's enhanced reflexes. He grabbed the front of Greg's hoodie and yanked him forward until Greg was right in his face.

"You really are stupid, aren't you? You think 'cause I go easy on you that I like you or something? WRONG! You're a weak piece of shit whose only friend is a fucking spic. Give me my money, Greg," he growled.

Greg swallowed what little was left of the pride that Evron had instilled in him over the past month. Reaching into his back pocket, he pulled out twenty-five dollars and held it up to Mal.  
The twenty and five were quickly snatched from his hands by a Mal who somehow looked even angrier.

"...I thought you only had five dollars, Greg."

'No...no...don't tell me...'

"You don't know respect, Greg. I keep your undeserving ass safe and this is how you repay me. Lying to ME! And trying to keep my money from me?!!!"

'Fucking Mal...' Greg knew what was coming next. Mal was too far gone and from the rage in his eyes, Greg knew that there was no turning back now. Evron had taught him how to deal with situations like this. All he had to do was keep himself loose and limp and his body would handle the rest.

The punch was slow to his eyes and it didn't hurt at all when it connected with his jaw. He hoped he was good enough to pull this off. He needed to make it look real. He couldn't expose himself after only one month. The second one hit him on the side of his face and he moved with the strike, doing his best not to give Mal a broken hand. The third hit was almost a surprise. Almost. Greg had been expecting punches from Mal so he was caught a bit off guard when Mal lifted a boot and caught him in the chest.

Greg slammed into the locker, denting the metal as he slid to the floor, groaning as if he was in pain. He glanced around at all the expectant faces cheering at the bloodbath they were expecting. Sophia, for some reason, looked a bit conflicted, like she wanted to enjoy what was going on but couldn't for some reason. She seemed to alternate between a hungry smile and an angry growl. It was like she had just gotten a great gift but the person who gave it to her was a child-murderer. Taylor stood a few feet away from her, an odd look of pain on her face.

Mal grabbed Greg by his hood and yanked him to his feet.

A mad grin was on his face and he slammed his fist into Greg's stomach several times. "You're lucky your little border nigger of a friend already left. I'd be teaching his bean-eating ass a lesson too."

'This was a stupid idea,' Greg thought as he was held aloft by Malcolm's meaty hand. 'He could punch me for an hour and a half and I still wouldn't bleed. I'm not even feeling this.' Greg glanced over at Taylor, who still looked as if she was in pain. 'She must really not like seeing people get hurt.' Mal roared and threw Greg back into the lockers, knocking Greg out of his thoughts.

'Fuck this! I'm getting knocked around by this Nazi piece of shit and for what? I'm better than this!' Greg growled out loud, nearly surprising himself with the guttural sound coming from his throat. 'Fuck this. If I'm going to get outed as a cape, I'm at least going to look good in front of Taylor.'

Greg got up quickly. Mal looked at him, surprise evident on his face.

'What the fuck? Why isn't this fucking fucker bleeding? This skinny little shit should be crying. What the fuck?' Mal's inner thoughts did not match the guttural scream that came from his throat as he ran towards Greg. He threw a punch right at Greg only for it to be stopped. Everyone in the hallway had gone completely silent as Greg held Mal's fist with his open palm.

"What..." Malcolm stepped back a few feet and the crowd moved around him, to give him space.

Malcolm Steiger was never the smartest guy. His grades were barely hovering over the line. He always said something stupid or odd that always made conversations awkward. When he had discovered that he could play football, he had enjoyed how people finally praised him. He wasn't the slow big guy anymore. He was a star. He had friends. Girls wanted to go out with him. He was popular. When he heard steroids could make him better at the only good thing in his life, he had jumped on it. He won his team several championships before someone figured it out. They kicked him off the team. Nobody wanted to be his friend anymore. Malcolm didn't think it was fair. He didn't know it was illegal. His family was even more embarrassed by him, so embarrassed that they left New York. He was glad that they had moved to Brockton Bay. He met new people who wanted to be his friend. People who told him the people who caused all his problems. He loved the E88 and everything it stood for. Malcolm had made a lot of bad mistakes in just a few short years. Picking on Greg Veder was just the most recent.

The strike was quick. Mal probably never even saw it coming. The other students certainly didn't.

In less than an instant, Greg had crossed about eight feet and planted his fist into Mal's stomach. Before Mal could even vocalize the pain from Greg's first strike, Greg hit him again in the jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground, unconscious. As he fell, the crowd rushed out of the way as if terrified, leaving Mal to fall on the cold linoleum.

The entire crowd of students stared at Greg as if they had just seen a ghost. Greg glanced toward Taylor and noticed her staring at him as if really seeing him for the first time. He glanced around and noticed Madison with a look of stark fear on her on her face, Sophia simply tilted her head and stared at Greg in a curious manner as if he was something to be studied while Emma seemed to be looking at him with something oddly similar to...lust.

Greg shrugged nervously as he felt the weight of all their shocked stares on him. "He's not dead, you know. You can check his pulse and stuff."

No one said anything and they all continued to stare.

"I wouldn't kill him anyway."

More Silence.

"I wouldn't kill anyone, really. It was his fault. I mean, he was hitting me and I mean, it didn't hurt but he was...you know, he wouldn't stop. I just...I was angry. He's fine, really. Guys, it's me. I wouldn't hurt anybody," Greg rambled on, unsure if his verbal stream was working at calming anyone down.

Still more silence.

Greg huffed. "Fine...If that's how...you know...Just...MOVE!"

Greg walked forward and the students hurriedly began to part as they seemed somewhat frightened by his outburst, giving him plenty of space to walk until he was once again walking down an empty hallway toward the double doors. As he opened the door, Greg looked over his shoulder, and sure enough, they were all still standing there, silently watching his back as he exited the building.

Greg mumbled to himself as he walked out, one last muttered sentence spilling from his lips. "I just wanted to watch some anime."

\--------------------

Greg sighed as he jumped from roof to roof, wearing only a white T-shirt and jeans. He had discarded the baggy gray hoodie shortly after he left Winslow and he was no taking his time to practice his free-running skills as he went home. There was no point in hiding his new physique anymore.

Greg sighed once more as he vaulted a chimney, body nearly perpendicular from the rooftop. This wasn't how today was supposed to go. Today was supposed to be a normal day.

'The only thing normal about today is the fact that I got messed with. With my luck, the PRT might already be at my house. I should really have told Mom about this. Fuck! This is all that stupid meathead's fault. Mal's lucky I didn't break anything. If I wasn't so nice...'

Greg was right. He had been very careful with how he struck Mal. Both strikes, while rather fast, were thrown using the minimum of his strength in order to keep from hurting the Nazi too badly. Instead of hitting Mal like a sledgehammer, Greg had struck him with all the force of a professional heavyweight boxer. His fingers twitched as he thought back to the incident that had taken place just a few months ago.

'Fucking Winslow! What kind of shit was that? Someone's getting beat up and a teacher just walks away like it's none of his business,' fumed Greg. 'If I was a normal guy, he'd probably have killed me. Shitty school, shitty teachers, shitty students and no fucking security! I mean..."

Greg paused his angry train of thought as he realized that he wasn't too far from home. Making sure no one was around to see him, he dropped from the roof of the brownstone he was currently on to an alleyway below.

After keeping on the lookout for roughly five minutes and not seeing any vans that seemed similar to the ones the PRT used, Greg made his way towards his modest two-story dwelling. He unlocked the door and entered his house hurriedly, shutting the door behind him. After dropping his backpack at the foot of the stairs, he headed up to his room where a surprise was waiting for him. On his bed lay a pure white jumpsuit.

'Oh my god. He did....he made it!. He told me he would but I didn't really think he could make one!'

He quickly rushed to his bed and picked it up, admiring it. It was a solid white jumpsuit made of some thick, ultra fine, mesh-like fabric that somehow managed to feel rigid and flexible all at once. Around it's forearms were two long golden manacles, almost the same as the ones Evron usually wore without his limiters on. It had a collar made of the same golden material. Surrounding the waist was a thin golden belt. As Greg put his hand on one manacle, the thing beeped and a full-size color hologram of Evron popped out.

Greg yelped and jumped back, dropping the suit on the floor. The hologram did not dissipate however.

"...Boss?"

"Hello, Greg. This is a pre-recorded message. I left earlier today because I needed to test if some of my abilities were still viable in your universe and I can't afford to level a city. I should be back by tomorrow. I made this outfit as a gift for you. I know, I'm kind. It's what I do. You've been doing pretty good this past month. You've been responsive to training, haven't been whining that much, and you haven't exposed your secret identity."

Greg winced. 'Shit....'

"So, good signs all around that you're ready to step up into the big leagues. From here on out, you're not just my student. Now you have an even bigger job."

"I do?"

"You do. This job comes with a lot of responsibilities and duties that could mean life or death. You'll have to make hard choices and tough decisions that could make or break your career. You'll get to fight beside people with more power than you could ever even hope to dream of and learn from them. Are you ready, Greg?"

"Yeah. I'm ready. I'm so ready. I was born ready. What is it?", he nearly screamed, excitement making him giddy.

The hologram crossed it's arms. Starting from today, you, Greg Veder, are not just my student. Effective immediately, you are..." the hologram paused.

"Yes?"

"...now my...." Another pause.

"Come on already."

"Minion."

"Yes! Yes! I'm a...I'm a...minion? the hell? Minion?!" Greg recoiled angrily. "I'm no minion! Why do you even need a minion? You're a hero. Villains have minions! Seriously, boss. Me, a minion?!!!!"

"Yes, Greg. A minion. This comes with several important duties and responsibilities. Including but not limited to; getting me food when I'm too lazy to do it myself, sparring with me whenever I feel like it, fluffing my pillow, listening to me me talk and last and most important of all, never dying your hair white."

'Dying my hair white? Why would that even be a thing that- Not the point, Greg!' "A minion though? I thought I'd be a sidekick at least. I was hoping for partner," whined Greg unashamedly.

The hologram shook his head. "Greg, Greg, Greg, Greg, Greg, Greg, Greg...Greg...Greg. Look, you can eventually become my sidekick or teammate, even. You can get promotions. The stronger and the most experienced you get, the higher you rank up. There is a pecking order in place. It goes errand boy, minion, lackey, henchman, underling, sidekick, protege, and superhero. You skipped right over Errand Boy, Greg. You should be proud. That never happens. If you get good enough, you might just skip right to Underling."

Greg opened his mouth for a few seconds but quickly closed it when he realized he had nothing to say in response to the craziness that was just spoken.

"Anyway, I made the suit out of some nanomachines from my suit and some scrap from the Ship Graveyard. It's bulletproof, self-repairing and has a tracker, in case you get lost or something, I don't know. Those armbands contain your Virtual Assistant. I call her Nia. It'll take a bit before she actually becomes fully functional. She has to adapt to you, after all. She comes with a GPS and an ability to access private networks and devices. I also loaded all your music on to the device in case you need some background music while kicking ass. You also have a program that tracks where large groups of criminals are likely to gather. Don't get into a fight you can't win, Greg. Or, you know, go ahead. Getting the shit kicked out of you early is good practice for when you get the shit kicked out of you later."

 

Greg marveled over the suit and raised it up to his neck. "It's kind of loose, isn't-WHOA!" The suit suddenly became semi-solid and wrapped itself around Greg's body. "What the hell? This shit's alive!"

The hologram yawned. "Relax, dude. It's just molding itself to your dimensions. It's mostly made up of nanomachines. Didn't I mention this? I think I did. Pay attention, Greg."

The slick, slimy feeling disappeared as soon as it began and Greg marveled at the suit he was wearing. "Wow, I look like I could be part of New Wave." His newly defined muscles were highly visible through the odd material and the outfit looked so skintight that Greg doubted it could stop a bullet. Despite that, Greg trusted Evron's words. If it was bulletproof, it was bulletproof. "Thanks, Ev. This is an awesome gift."

"No problem at all, man. Now go kick some ass."

Greg's eyes widened slightly. "You're letting me go out on my own?"

The image of Evron suddenly stood stock still. "This is a prerecorded interactive holographic message. No response was programmed for this question. Please ask a different question," he responded in a monotone.

Greg stepped back. "What? You-bu-whe-how-hu...W-We were just talking!!!"

"This is a prerecorded interactive holographic message. Responses were pre-recorded for a wide range of questions or statements. Including that one."

Greg grabbed his blonde locks with both hands. "How the fuck does that make sense?!!"

"It's technology from three hundred years from now, dummy. Figure it out."

An eye twitch was the only response Greg gave.

"Pre-recorded Hologram has exhausted all responses," and in a flash of blue light, the hologram disappeared.

Greg stared at the spot where the hologram was for a few more seconds before he shook his head and turned to the mirror. "Crazy-ass."

"Okay. This is it. The big time. I'm going out...to fight crime. This city needs a hero and that hero's name is...,"Greg paused. "What is my name? Name, name, name, name, name....name. Okay, let's think, let's think...let's think about names. It's got to be cool. It's got to be heroic. It definitely has to sound awesome. Paragon...no. There's already a Paragon. No. Captain Awesome...no...Huh...Okay, let's be serious. I'm blonde. My suit is white and gold and I shoot gold blasts. I can get a name easy."

\--------------------------------------------------------  
Thirty Minutes Later...  
\--------------------------------------------------------

"Golden Guy...taken. Gold Shooter...taken. Booster Gold...copyrighted."

Greg sat on his computer going through PHO's list of confirmed parahumans hoping to finally find a name that he could make his own after he found out that all the ones he made up had been used before. It had not been fun.

"Bright...taken. Bright Star...taken and a villain. Gold Star...taken. Superior...Villain/Deceased."

Greg stood up, mulling over the name in his head. "Superior....Superior...Titan and Superior...Superior and Titan. I'm good with this."

Greg walked over to his window and opened it wide, placing a foot up on the windowsill.

"Criminals of the Bay, watch out! Superior is here and..." Greg paused as he felt the wind blowing gently across his face, "and he doesn't have a mask. SHIT! I can't go out without a mask!"

"Really?"

Greg whipped around to stare at the hologram of Evron that appeared before. "Wha..."

"Because you didn't seem to worry about that when you showed off your powers in front of half of Winslow's students. I thought you'd be out by now, Greg."

"You knew about that and you still gave me the suit? You're just messing with me!"

Holo Ev gave Greg a huge shit-eating grin."Who're you talking to, Greg? I'm just a hologram." And with that, he vanished.

"...Pre-recorded interactive hologram, my ass. You're just watching me all the time, you creep!"

'Whatever. Jerk's right anyway. I don't really have a secret anymore at this point. I'm like New Wave. Oh, I should join New Wave. That'd be so awesome. I'd be so awesome!'

Greg jumped out of his window and landed on the soft grass of his backyard with a thud. "Let's do this. Any gang scum better run, because they can't hide from Superior!...I really like that name. I could get used to that."

\-------------------------------------------------------  
Four Hours Later  
\-------------------------------------------------------

Jump....

Jump...

Flip...

Jump...

Greg...ahem...Superior made his way across the rooftops of the Docks, feeling pretty pleased with himself. He had stopped at a dollar store and picked out a cheap, golden, face mask that covered everything above his mouth. He knew that the ABB and the E88 would be already aware of his powered state by now, but still...it made him feel safe.

He had been out for almost a good four hours and had managed to find a few E88 and Merchants members in the midst of a crime. Most of the Merchants were trying to mug or beat someone up. Most of the E88 just happened to be hanging around, looking suspicious. When Superior had showed up and announced himself, they had attacked him. Really. All he did was defend himself. It wasn't even hard to jump down and beat them up. Fighting Mal had given him a rush of power but beating up a whole group of armed bad guys by himself....was like a drug in how good it felt. But it wasn't enough. They were okay for a little bit of fun but the fights were pathetic. 'I wish I could have fought a cape. The gang members were just so...weak. I mean, I knew what I was getting into...they're just normal humans. I can't expect too much from them.'

He had left the gang members on the ground and had called the police to pick them up using the Virtual Assistant, Nia, that Evron had installed on the suit. He had felt so good saying his name, Superior, to the person on the phone that he may have repeated it a bit too much. No problem, anyway. Just have to work on talking to people. After all, a hero has to sound heroic.

Superior jumped across one more building and ended up scrambling to prevent his fall when his enhanced hearing caught a deep voice roaring a  
block or two away.

 

"...those mother fucking kids. Shoot them in their fucking heads. Hold them down if you can and make them suffer. Bring the little bitch to me. I'm going to teach her a lesson myself."

'Kids?! They're going to kill kids!!! These guys are crazy!!' Greg spun around on the rooftop, trying to find which direction the voice was coming from. "Where is that-THERE!!!!"

Superior had already begun running, moving towards the direction of the voice. He reached the edge of the roof in less than a second and leaped, landing with a crash a few feet away from a large group of men, all of them huddled around one large masked tattooed figure.

"What do you think you're trying to do? Who the fuck kills kids? What kind of psychoa would do...something...like...,"Superior trailed off as he realized that the men surrounding him were all of Asian descent and the large masked man had silvery scales going up and down his body and he was walking towards him.

'AsianguysredcolorstallbuffguytattoossilvermaskscalesohfuckitsLungitsLungitsLungitsLungITSFUCKINGLUNG!!'

Greg felt all his confidence dissappear instantly. The fearless hero, Superior, had vanished and left only scrawny Greg Veder behind. Greg stood frozen, like a deer in headlights watching as his impending death walked closer and closer, taking his sweet time.

When asked why he said what he did next, he would blame it on Evron and never go into serious detail.

"Hello, Mr. Lung, sir. Can I get your autograph? I really admire the way you revitalized the Asian community in Brockton Bay by giving them a cause to rally behind and an organization to fight for. Charity work like that is really awesome. Also, I'm a huge fan of the way you get angry and turn into a gigantic firebreathing rage monster. It's just so cool."

Lung froze at Greg's ramblings and Greg gulped as the large Asian man continued to stare at him. Then he laughed, a deep, powerful belly laugh that carried because of his strong lungs.

The gang members surrounding him were unsure of what to do for a few seconds as their boss enjoyed his mirth. They soon joined in, figuring that if their boss was laughing, they should too.

Greg stood there nervously until he decided to join in as well.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Greg cackled maniacally.

Lung stopped laughing and his men followed his lead, leaving Greg alone cackling like a supervillain.

"ENOUGH!!!", roared Lung.

Greg immediately shut up.

Lung sighed deeply, a small tongue of flame appearing from his mouth when he exhaled.

"Boy..."

"Yes, Mr.Lung, sir?"

Lung placed a large hand on his shoulder and Greg had no choice but to look up at the silver mask of the Asian gang lord. "I have no problem with you. In fact, you have made me laugh. I appreciate that. If you leave now, I will forget you ever attempted to cross me. Are we clear, boy?"

'YESYESYESYESYESYES!!! I'm not gonna die!!!'

"Yes, sir. I'll just be..." Greg trailed off yet again as he found another reason to be terrified.

Lung was somewhat confused by his sudden terror. "What? Speak!"

Greg didn't say a word. Instead, he leapt several dozen feet away and began to scramble up a warehouse building.

And not a second too late.

Lung whipped around and his eyes widened behind his mask as he and his gang members were drowned under a wave of several thousand insects, both flying and crawling, working in sync as a giant blob of creepy-crawlies.

Greg gasped and retched on top of the warehouse as he heard the muffled screams of all of Lung's men as the insects completely washed over them. 'Ewwwwwww. What the hell is this? That's just...sick.' Greg may have been terrified of Lung but this living mass of bugs was just...disturbing in a way that made his primal lizard brain go "NOPE!" They were synchronized, too synchronized. A cape had to be doing this.

Suddenly, there was a crackling noise from beneath the bugs reminiscent of cooking popcorn and a massive gout of flame burst through the insects, scorching a lot of the bugs and a few of the men still struggling beneath them.

Some...thing leapt out from the burning pile of bugs and landed on the ground, cracking the asphalt under it's bulk. It was a monstrous beast. A ten foot tall creature with a rather long neck, red scales, tall black horns and massive black spikes going down it's spine and ending in a spiked tail that was at least as long as it was tall. The air rippled and the asphalt melted where it's long black claws touched the ground.

Greg gasped. "Lung?"

The aforementioned dragon beast whipped around to stare at the freaked out rookie hero and Greg noted that Lung's eyes were now just pits of flame.

'Fuck me....'

With a roar, the dragon leaped at Greg.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to applaud Cherico on Sufficient Velocity. I just read his work "On A Pale Horse". I did not know that there were other Greg-centered works out there. I had seen the one about the mirror universe but that was mostly Emma and Taylor interactions. He inspired me to put Sparky in this chapter. I had actually forgotten about Sparky. I had assumed he was a Merchant but Cherico's characterization made more sense to me.


	15. Complications 2.2A

>   
> **Complications 2.2A**  
>   
>   
>   
>  Greg Veder  
>   
>   
> The massive red-scaled lizard beast landed directly in front of me with a thunderous crash, cracking the roof beneath my feet. His face was elongated, appearing more like the maw of a dragon than the jaw of a man. Black spikes jutted out all over the sides of his face.  
>   
> I simultaneously flinched and gasped for breath as the air was suddenly superheated. My cheap plastic mask began to melt and it fell apart on my face, the thin string snapping.  
>   
> " ** _YOUUUUUU....._** _ **KAAAASER!!!!**_ " he growled, his voice sounding like broken glass being smashed apart.  
>   
> My muscles tensed as he stared me down with the flaming pits that he used for eyes. I was going to be roasted alive, burnt to ashes by his powerful flames.  
>   
> His massive clawed fist swung at me and everything slowed down.  
>   
> I saw it coming. It was fast but I was faster. I leaped, clearing Lung's head like a professional gymnast, barely avoiding the aura of flames surrounding his body, and I pivoted, spinning on the balls of my feet.  
>   
> Lung roared in anger and swung at me with another claw and I danced just out of his reach, laughing as I did so. This was my chance. I made my move. I had learned the limits of my strength while training with Evron. The first week of my training, I could lift a golf cart over my head. Last I checked, five tons was my limit.  
>   
> I threw a full-force punch at Lung as fast as I could and he stumbled. I hit him with all the power I had, my fists blurring. I must have been hitting him almost ten times per second, smashing at his scarlet scales, sending red chips flying from his hide. He was getting bigger, getting tougher and my strikes were doing less and less damage with every second. I was hurting him less and less with every single strike.  
>   
> That needed to change. I darted in and out of close range, striking all around his body and occasionally dodging the gouts of fire he would attempt to blast me with. His flames were hot, incredibly so but my suit protected my skin from the worst of it.  
>   
> 'Yes....more!'  
>   
> He was still growing and his flames were getting hotter, as evidenced by the pool of molten asphalt increasing in size at his feet. Lung roared again and a burst of flame exploded from his body. He roared and his neck stretched, becoming snake-like in it's flexibility. His entire body became longer and his already long tail had extended almost a dozen feet. I struggled to breathe under the uncomfortable pressure of Lung's aura of heated air but it didn't matter. I just didn't care. This was TOO MUCH FUN!  
>   
> " _ **KILLLLL YOUUUUUGHH!!!!".**_  
>   
>  Lung swiped at me and I easily dodged, leaping backwards just before his superheated claws rent apart a brick wall that had been behind me and sent brick and mortar flying.  
>   
> He charged towards me and I grinned. Every step he took shattered concrete and tore apart asphalt, the sheer heat from his body leaving pools of melted, shattered pavement behind him.  
>   
> I focused for a split second as I forced Zirin energy into my right hand and unleashed a quick golden blast. A ball of energy shot out from my hand and Lung halted his charge as it impacted his left shoulder, creating an explosion of blood and viscera that was highly gruesome to witness. Bone fragments flew like shrapnel, piercing Lung's face, neck and chest.  
>   
>  _ **"AAAAAAAGGGGGGGGRRRRRHHHHHHHH!!!!!"**_ The scream that burst from the beast's maw was more like a roar of anger than a howl of pain. As he writhed in agony, blasts of flame erupted from the ground around the Asian Dragon like geysers, utterly destroying the entire street and destroying the cars and exploding windows that had still managed to remain untouched.  
>   
> "Holy shit...Awesome." I glanced at my hands and back up at the still screaming Lung, who was busy cradling his slowly growing stump of an arm. He was still FUCKING growing, his body shifting as his arm grew back. His neck had elongated a few feet, appearing more snakelike than dragon like, and the spikes on his shoulders, spine and back continued to grow longer and more jagged. He was almost twice as tall as when he first transformed and he was still not done.  
>   
>   
> I watched him from several yards away and I gripped a stop sign and wrenched it from the ground intent on using it as a weapon. I felt the emotions inside me, surging through me with the same force as the Zirin in my veins. My Zirin had spread from my core to every single nerve and muscle fiber in my body. I was stronger. I was faster. I was enjoying this.  
>   
> Lung...he was strong too. He was definitely strong. Stronger than I even thought. Definitely stronger than what I was sure my limit was. His transformation was nothing like I had ever seen from him from pictures and video on PHO. It was quicker, more adaptive. I knew he got bigger and stronger but I thought the process was gradual. This was sudden bursts of massive growth...and I needed more. 'Yes...more. More. Get bigger. I'll take you down even harder!'  
>   
> As if he could hear my thoughts, a new viciously spiked and clawed hand suddenly burst from the stump that had grown to his forearm, sending steaming hot blood flying everywhere and Lung's massive muscles bulged, instantly growing to twice their size. His other arm shifted and gained additional claws and spikes to match the newly regrown one. He glared at me, this time with caution on his monstrous face. He wasn't scared, not yet, but he was wary.  
>   
> 'I need to get him angry. I need him to be stupid!!!'  
>   
> I smirked and folded my arms, intent on making sure I looked cocky enough to irritate anyone. "Come on, Lung. I'm barely breaking a sweat here. I thought you were the big bad Dragon Boss. I'm still here! You fought Leviathan and you can't even touch me. I expected an unstoppable monster from the big, scary leader of the ABB, not a mere," I quietly thanked Mr. Yamanuchi, my Japanese Language teacher, for his amazing teaching skills, "warugaki or a stupid akachan tokage."  
>   
> " _ **KILLLLL YOOOOOUUUUUU!!!!"**_ That seemed to do the trick pretty well. Lung's face and chest ballooned, swelling to almost three times their size. Nothing happened for a few seconds but I was on guard, ready for the fire he would spew.  
>   
> I was wrong. I was not ready. I was very much not ready.  
>   
> He opened his jaws and everything was fire.  
>   
> "HOLY SHIT!" I dropped the stop sign and booked it for cover. I barely dodged the flames, sliding into an alley at the last second. I jumped to a warehouse roof in one leap and stared in shock at the damage Lung's fire had caused.  
>   
> Lung exhaled with the force of a fire hose, sending massive plumes of fire toward wherever he aimed his mouth and hands.  
>   
> A literal firestorm had transformed the entire block into a living hell.  
>   
> I had to end this.  
>   
> 'He's going down.'  
>   
> Closing my eyes, I began to focus. Less than a second later, my body was aglow with bright golden light. I was faster. I was stronger...but not for long. I had to make this count. Lung was below, rampaging like a rabid animal. 'Let's put him down, then.'  
>   
> I jumped from the rooftop and again time slowed down. I saw Lung running around on all fours, burning anything and everything in sight. I had a feeling that he was so far gone that even if his men weren't already burnt to death, he'd kill them right here and now. I landed on the destroyed road with a crash, sending pieces flying and alerting one berserk dragon.  
>   
> He whirled around to face me and snarled.  
>   
> I looked at him and gave him the same grin Evron usually wore on his face and his snarls increased. I ran, tearing apart the street beneath my feet and slammed my fist directly into Lung's chest.  
>   
> Except I didn't.  
>   
> I dove out of the way of his massive fist as it slammed into the ruined asphalt, leaving a crater where I just was. My hurried dive became a quick roll and I twisted around and jumped upwards to strike him in the face...only to remain suspended in the air.  
>   
> " _urk...."_  
>   
>  My chest. My chest. It hurt...so, so much. I looked down and screamed only to stop as I coughed up blood.  
>   
> His tail had gone directly through my chest. His **TAIL!!!!**. Lung's spiked, serrated, several meter long tail. I wasn't paying attention to the damn thing. It was fast....faster than I could react to that quickly and it's spikes were sharp...sharp enough to tear through material that had proved itself to be bulletproof.  
>   
>  Lung had raised his tail at the last moment and caught me on his own barbs. He knew I was going to try to get close and hit him again. He planned for this. Lung grinned at me, boiling hot saliva dripping off his teeth and tongue. He shook his tail, jostling me violently and increasing the size of the wound his tail had gored in my torso.  
>   
> Raising one gigantic red-scaled palm closer to my face, a large ball of fire began to form in it. " _ **ANY LAST WORDS?",**_ Lung began, his voice oddly clear.  
>   
> I gasped, blood flowing from my chest, as my attempts to think were hampered by the incredible pain I was feeling. I was scared. Terrified. I didn't want to die, especially not like this. This was my first night doing something. Nobody even knew my name yet! I can't die here!  
>   
> Lung opened his mouth to say something more, most likely an insult or a one-liner before roasting me...only to gag as a huge swarm of insects flew into his mouth. Much more insects than before began to swarm Lung. Hundreds of thousands, maybe millions, of bugs crawled, hopped, flew and slithered as fast as they could toward Lung, all of them intent on making his insides their new home.  
>   
> He made odd choking noises as the large horde of insects forced their way down his esophagus. Bursts of flame erupted around him, killing some of the bugs but even more poured in.  
>   
> I spent my time hanging off of Lung's tail in pain, my chest burning from the heat of Lung's tail and an intense tearing sensation in the center of my chest. Hisses and screams of pain came from both myself and Lung as we dealt with two very different types of agony.  
>   
> Lung's tail had not been idle while the rest of him thrashed on the ground like a fish out of water. I had been slammed against buildings, had my face grinded into the jagged mess that once was a road, and been struck by Lung's flailing limbs several times as he attempted to fight off the seemingly endless horde of insects.  
>   
> One powerful jerk of his tail was all it took to send me flying off his spiked appendage and into a wall. I heard a cracking noise that I was almost entirely sure was not the wall behind me as my body slumped to the ground. A warm liquid dripping down my face informed me that my skull was probably cracked.  
>   
> Lung continued to writhe in agony, unaware or uncaring of my departure from his grasp. Fire flew everywhere, scorching so many, many bugs but more just kept coming.  
>   
> 'Gotta get up. Get up...get up...Get Up! MOVE!' I screamed at myself, urging myself to get up. "Why am I not moving?" 'Maybe it's the fact that your head's split open or a bunch of your ribs are currently loose from your ribcage or maybe it's the giant gash in your chest, asshat!' said a snarky voice in my head that sounded almost exactly like Evron.  
>   
> Whether I wanted to run away or continue fighting, I wasn't sure but I couldn't stay down. With a grunt and a quickly silenced scream, I pulled myself up using the wall as a support.  
>   
> 'I have to get out of here,' I thought to myself, 'I'm bleeding out. I'm no help.'  
>   
> I glanced back at Lung's massive draconian self groaning on the ground as he was being overwhelmed by the unending swarm of creepy-crawlies. 'Besides, whatever cape that's doing this looks like they've got it under control.'  
>   
> I began to walk away tentatively, still holding my chest even as the pain began to fade. 'Less pain...I feel better. Is that a good thing? Cause I feel good but I did lose a lot of blood,' I silently wondered as I walked away. 'This was a horrible night.'  
>   
> " _AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"  
>   
>  '_What the..."  
>   
> I paused and whipped around, ignoring the pain in my chest, as I heard a scream of terror that was undeniably female.  
>   
> Lung was still on the ground, struggling to move while suffering from whatever poison the droning insects had pumped into him but a large swath of bugs directly in front of him had been burnt to a crisp and a rather tall building close to it had it's entire front engulfed in flame. I looked up and my eyes widened. A cape was at the top...dressed mostly in black with a bug like mask and long hair.  
>   
> I wasn't the only one who heard her scream. Lung looked up and made several odd noises before a burst of flame finally shot out from his maw, sending a massive clog of bugs shooting out of his throat with it. I repressed a shudder at how many bugs it must have taken to close his gigantic throat enough to prevent him from breathing fire.  
>   
> Another scream and I saw the girl backpedal as part of her costume caught aflame and she tried to pat the flame away. A literal explosion of flame surrounded Lung, so large that it surprised me that it didn't have a mushroom cloud. The streets were aflame. All of the bugs were dead and Lung stood, larger than ever. Forty feet tall, spikes and barbs everywhere, several giant black horns protruding from his skull. He bellowed and a wet, loud, cracking noise was heard. His spine and back began to shift and twist and with an explosion of blood and flame, four massive spiked wings burst from his back.  
>   
> 'He has wings? He has wings! Of course he has wings! He's a Fucking DRAGON!'  
>   
> Lung flapped his twin set of wings gingerly, moving around as if unsure of how to move them.  
>   
> "Nia? Nia...," I said aloud, hurriedly attempting to use my Virtual Assistant, "Nia...Nia." I tapped my armbands and...nothing. 'Great...I can't call the police. I can't call the PRT. What the fuck now?!!!!"  
>   
> My minor freak out was interrupted as Lung bellowed and jumped, his powerful leap being overtaken by his four wings. The female cape screamed as Lung ascended rapidly, appearing in front of her with a massive fireball in his gaping maw.  
>   
> "NO!"  
>   
> The world slowed down and I __**moved.** My body was suffused with golden light and I leapt. My arc carried me to the top of the roof, facing the bug controller. I grabbed the black clad cape, puling her into my chest and covering her body with mine as time returned to normal.  
>   
> Lung roared and I heard the rush of noise that followed his pyrokinesis.  
>   
> He roared and roared...and roared.  
>   
> 'Huh...?' I turned around and my eyes widened. Surrounding the two of us was a glowing golden dome, protecting us from the torrent of flames Lung was exuding.  
>   
> 'We were fine! I was alive!'  
>   
> I smiled, a manic grin spreading across my face and began to laugh.  
>   
> "Fuck you, Bowser!!!"
> 
>  

 


	16. Complications 2.2B

**Complications 2.2B**  
  
  
Taylor Hebert  
  
  
  
  
When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a princess, like most little girls dream of.  
  
Like most little girls and their princessy dreams, I wanted a palace, fancy dresses and jewelry. Shiny, shiny jewelry.  
  
But more than all of that, I wanted a prince. In the inevitable instance that a dragon kidnapped me and tried to eat me or roast me alive and then eat me, as dragons are wont to do, my prince would be there to save me from the big bad dragon. He would have flowing blond hair, blue eyes, muscles and he would be charming, handsome and the perfect gentleman. The hero holding me in his arms was close...but not exactly what I had hoped for.  
  
  
"Don't worry, bug lady. I got your back. Once I let go of my shield, you distract him with your bug buddies and I'll take him down! Superior Style!" The golden haired figure stood above me, a soft aura of yellow light surrounding him in this opaque golden shield that protected us from Lung's flames. I felt relief. So much relief that my knees gave out and the unfamiliar glowing hero had to hold me up.  
  
I looked up at him. His hair was golden, yes, but it was covered in dust and partially frizzy and a bit burnt. His face was covered in soot and blood and so were his teeth. His costume was ripped open at the chest, where Lung had stabbed him but I couldn't see a wound, showing that he truly was muscled. I really didn't care. Lung was a monster, a literal dragon, and he had saved me...even though just a few minutes ago I had thought he was dead. He was amazing.  
  
"Hey, lady. You alright? Oh no, please be alright. I can't really get you to a hospital right now. Please don't die on me," he rambled in a tone that sounded more like a worried kid than a professional hero. Where was the bravado that I saw against Lung? The charisma he had when he was joking around with the most dangerous villain in town like they were buddies? The contagious level of confidence he had as he traded blows with Lung? It had vanished. Something else caught my attention.  
  
That voice was familiar. Really fucking familiar.  
  
"Pleasedontdiepleasedontdiepleasedontdiepleasedontdiepleasedontdiepleasedontdiepleasedontdiepleasedontdie"  
  
And really fucking annoying.  
  
'What.'  
  
That's Greg's voice. That's Greg's annoying little voice. Wait...'GREG'S A HERO?!!!'  
  
I looked closer and noticed the same awkward nervous look on his face that he always seemed to have.  
  
It was Greg.  
  
Greg...Greg Veder. I don't get it. This makes absolutely no sense. Greg Veder is a lot of things. Greg Veder is a nerd. Greg Veder is annoying. Greg Vader has bad skin. Greg Veder rambles like an idiot even if you're doing your best to ignore him. Greg Veder stares at you when he thinks you're not looking. Greg Veder is this close from being a creepy stalker.  
Greg Veder is a follower, unnecessary, a background character, a creep. Greg Veder is a wimp.  
  
Except...he wasn't. At least, anymore.  
  
Today, he had fought the biggest guy in school and knocked him out. He had used his powers, obviously. A normal person does not take that many hits from a guy like that and walk away without even a bruise. Sophia and Emma didn't even bother me after Greg left. Sophia had run off while Emma followed her, a weird look in her eye. Madison had stayed behind, shock etched on her face.  
  
I had gone home, glad that the Bitch Trio forgot about me and Greg's fight still on my mind. I couldn't help but go over it in my head. 'How could Greg have powers?' I had eventually come to the conclusion that he had been so scared of the raging big guy, Malcolm, that he had gotten powers or something. It made as much sense as anything else I could come up with. If Greg had gotten powers earlier than today, I didn't see how someone with his personality could have kept it a secret for longer than a day or two. If I knew Greg, he would be shouting it from the rooftops.  
  
But...if he had only had his powers for a few hours, where did he get this costume from? And how is he already fighting Lung?  
  
"Hello...hello...say something, please."  
  
Huh? He was still talking. Of course he was. This was Greg we were talking about.  
  
I didn't need to hide my voice. With all the smoke in the air, my throat was so hoarse that it would make no sense to.  
  
"What's your plan?", was all I said.  
  
He smiled at me, a stupid goofy Greg-ish smile that I honestly didn't mind. It was nice. He was no prince but...he did save me from a dragon.  
  
The confidence seemed to slide back onto his face and his smile became self-assured, almost arrogant. His eyes began to glow a bright gold and two glowing, golden...blades grew from the back of his hands.  
  
Lung roared and circled us, his flames still crashing down  
  
" You distract him with your bugs and I stab him with these. The two of us, we're gonna slay a dragon."  
  
What had happened to him? This confidence...this strength...this wasn't the Greg I knew. I could get used to this Greg.  
  
I stood up straight and I looked at him.  
  
"Okay. When do we start?"  
  
Greg glanced up at the dome surrounding us.  
  
"As soon as I take down this shield."  
  
There was a few awkward moments of silence between us, interspersed with roars from Lung, of course.  
  
"And...when are you doing that?"  
  
The confidence dissapeared from Greg's face and that awkward look appeared again.  
  
"I don't really...know...I didn't...really know I could even make...shields...so...heh" Greg said, smiling awkwardly.  
  
My mind froze as I tried to wrap my head around this new development and I ended up realizing something. "So..if you didn't know that you could make shields, what were you trying to do when you grabbed me and shoved my head into your chest?"  
  
Greg's face made odd movements and I realized that he was actually thinking about what he was going to say. 'First time for everything'  
  
"I was trying to...protect you...using my body," he finally said.  
  
" So you were going to protect me...from a giant blast of flame...using...your...body." Honestly, that was really nice...but extremely stupid. He doesn't even know me. I could be a villain. He did know me and he probably thought we were friends, for some reason. If it was anybody else, I'd call it sweet. I couldn't let him know that, though. "That's stupid."  
  
He spluttered and his face reddened. "Well, I'd like to see how you could have survived if I hadn't showed up and made this!" He waved his hand at the dome and it flickered and dissapeared...while Lung was directly above us. Lung noticed this and pivoted his extremely long, snake-like dragon body in the air, opening his car-sized mouth wide.  
  
I freaked out. "PUT IT UP!!! PUT IT UP!!! PUT IT BACK UP!!!"  
  
"I'm trying!" Greg said, waving at the air furiously like a third-rate magician. "It's not working!!! IT'S NOT WORKING!!! Uhhhhhh...Jump into my arms!!!!"  
  
"What?"  
  
He looked at me with a manic expression, arms held out in what was obviously a bridal carry. "Do you want to be Lung's dinner?!!! Jump into my arms and hold onto my neck!!!!"  
  
I did so and Greg's arms locked around my legs and waist like a vise, definitely cutting off some of my circulation.  
  
"Hey, that h- _AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!"_  
  
And then Greg jumped off a twenty story building.


	17. Complications 2.2C

**Complications 2.2C**  
  
  
Tattletale  & The Undersiders  
  
  
  
Tattletale looked at the scene before her through her binoculars, her power putting the information together.  
Two capes, rookies obviously, were under a golden dome that seemed like something Lady Photon would make.  
She obviously wasn't here. She'd be fighting Lung with at least half of New Wave as backup if she was. But...about Lung. Lung...Lung was different, very different.  
She could tell that he looked different. That much was obvious from his new appearance as he flew above the roof raining down fire, but there was more than that at play.  
His power had changed as well.  
  
_Scales no longer armor plated, now organic. Strength increases at the expense of speed. Regeneration much more rapid, bursts of growth and healing, much less gradual. Adaptation to damage, instead of pure growth. Not using new abilities properly, not adjusted...unsure of how to fight in new body.  
_  
Lung had changed, yes, but he was mostly the same. Honestly, the change to his appearance was more interesting than his powers.  
He appeared to be something similar to a Chinese Lung Dragon with twin sets of wings other than the metal lizard thing he vaguely looked like before.  
  
The other figure, the golden kid, was much more interesting. He had been fighting Lung for almost five minutes and had been holding his own, at least until Lung impaled him. But that didn't even stop him for long.  
  
_Able to fight in close quarters with Lung, puncture wound on chest healed in under a minute...powerful healing factor, Brute Rating High. Glow increases with use of power. Power temporary? No...alternate power source. Glows when stronger or faster...alternate power source limited._ _ **NOT HUMAN?**_  
_Smiled and laughed during fight. Fight crazy? Yes...no. Enjoyed fighting Lung...enjoyed the danger or no...? Enjoyed using power. Power addictive. Possible mental issues._  
_**NOT HUMAN?**_  
_Holding back? Yes....no. Maybe. Partially trained. Only using tiny portion of power. Still getting stronger._ **NOT HUMAN.**  
  
Tattletale winced as she felt a slight twinge of pain. She quickly shook it off. It wasn't a real headache, not really. Maybe the beginning of one, but not yet. She'd be fine, regardless. She had to finish this.  
The longer she looked at the golden guy, the more she began to wonder if he wasn't a member of New Wave that they didn't let the public know about because of how fucking nuts he apparently was. Seriously, though? Insulting Lung in his native Japanese? Was the kid trying to make Lung eat him.  
  
_Possible...facial structure similar to Carol Dallon. Hair color too golden. New Wave hair color ranges from honey blonde or light blonde. **NOT HUMAN.**  
Some connection possible. Displays several powers similar to Lady Photon and Brandish. Energy blasts, shields, glowing..., **NOT HUMAN.**  
Possible offspring of member of New Wave. Possibility of infidelity from Carol Dallon...High? _**NOT HUMAN. NOT HUMAN. NOT HUMAN.**  
  
Tattletale blinked at the conclusion her power came to before smirking. 'Brandish cheating?...Juicy...'  
  
_Shield still strong. Has not weakened. Completely impervious to harm? No. Diffusing heat away from area of protection...Only protects against flames? No...Yes?...No/Yes. Both._  
  
'How does that even work? Both? What is this? Schrodinger's Cape? Nothing tonight barely makes any sense.  
Lung looks like one of those Chinese Dragons and his powers don't even work the same. I know he was still the same earlier tonight. I saw him. Metal scales and all.  
Then that kid showed up...'Tattletale paused and turned around to stare at the rest of the Undersiders behind her, all of them sitting on one of Bitch's dogs while she stood on a rooftop and waiting for her to finally say something. She turned back to Lung and looked at him again.  
  
_Lung's strength and speed ramped up much faster than normal. Not currently fighting and yet not powering down. Keeping up his own transformation? Power seems to have gotten stronger. Touched Gold Rookie earlier, ability increased in strength and functionality. G.R. has a Trump rating. Makes powers stronger... **permanently.**_  
  
A big smile crossed her face and she turned back to her teammates. "Fucking Trumps..."whispered Tattletale to herself.  
  
Grue tilted his head, his face obscured by the mask he had on, and cautiously spoke to Tattletale. "What's going on Tattletale? What can you tell us?"  
  
Pointing an arm in the direction of the golden kid, Lung and the other cape, Tattletale smirked. "We're going down there."  
  
"...where Lung is?"  
  
"Yeah, I thought the idea was to get away from the angry dragon man, not go towards him," added Regent.  
  
Bitch said nothing.  
  
"No, we don't want Lung," Tattletale said with a shake of her head, "The kid down there who was fighting Lung. All you need to do is grab onto him for a second or two and then run."  
  
There was silence from her teammates, interspersed with the faint sounds of Lung's roaring and the heavy breathing of the three dogs they sat on.  
  
Regent broke it.  
  
He chuckled softly and spoke, "So we're playing tag now?"  
  
Bitch said nothing.  
  
Grue sighed, the darkness around his head rippling with every word he spoke. "Tattletale, what are you talking about?"  
  
"That glowing cape, down there fighting Lung, is a Brute, Blaster, Mover, Shaker and a Trump. Emphasis on the Trump."  
  
Grue turned over to Regent, as if to ask him if he knew where she was going with this, only to receive a lazy shrug in return.  
He had been curious ever since they had seen the blonde cape show up and start joking around with Lung but he had not been anywhere curious enough to risk his life when Lung was already looking for them. Tattletale had asked him to stick around. He had agreed, after some arguing.  
  
When Lung had turned into a giant red lizard instead of his usual metallic form, Grue had decided that they were leaving.  
Tattletale had informed him that her power had discerned that Lung had long forgotten about them in his rage so the team had decided to stick around so Tattletale could learn more.  
  
Now, Lung was fucking huge and trying to kill two capes, Tattletale had said that they were rookies, and Grue was pretty sure Tattletale only cared about what she could find out about the new arrivals to the cape scene. He didn't really care at this point.  
Tattletale had been using her binoculars to get a closer look at the action even though all of them could see the light show as it was only a few blocks away.  
  
Regent raised a hand toward Tattletale in a motion that clearly said 'continue'.  
"And why are we sticking around? He's clearly got this handled."  
  
Tattletale smirked, a smug expression that was familiar on her face. "You guys really don't get it at all, do you?"  
  
Bitch growled, Brutus following her lead with a deep rumbling beneath her. "No. We don't. Explain or shut up."  
  
Regent snickered and turned to look over at Grue, the two of them sharing another look. Well, Regent was pretty sure Grue was sharing a look with him.  
With the motorcycle helmet and all the black smoke around him, Grue could be making faces at him all day and he would never know.  
'Maybe he is making faces at me all the time. That would make a lot of sense, for sure. I do make fun of him a lot. That's probably the way he gets back at me...yeah...I should prank him for that. Syrup in his helmet or something...yeah...yeah...what was I thinking about again? Tattletale...no...Wait...Bitch said something.'  
"Yeah...what Bitch said." 'Good one, Alec, good one.'  
  
Tattletale huffed. "No appreciation...none at all. Okay, you guys see Lung, right?"  
  
Grue rolled his eyes, well aware that no one else could see the action. "No, Tattletale, the giant fire breathing dragon is completely invisible. Yes...we see Lung."  
  
"Anyway...Notice anything different?"  
  
Grue paused before speaking again. "I don't know...He's red and bigger...four wings are new and he's skinnier and longer."  
  
Tattletale's smirk returned. "Exactly and the golden rookie down there is responsible for Lung's new makeover. He's a Trump that boosts powers...permanently. All it takes is a touch for a few seconds."  
  
All three of her teammates froze as they processed what Tattletale just said. The smug smirk on Tattletale's face increased as her team looked at her silently.  
  
Grue was the first to break the silence, shifting uncomfortably on Judas. " You're sure about this, Tattletale? Because I don't want to go down there for nothing." 'But if it's to make my powers stronger, I'd definitely risk it.'  
  
Tattletale tapped her forehead with a wink. "As sure as anything else."  
  
Regent smirked. "Then let's do this. Bitch, you in?"  
  
The dog-masked cape nodded and answered in a gruff, succinct manner. "Yes."  
  
Tattletale ran up and climbed up on Brutus. Brutus?  
  
_Darker patterns on hindquarters._  
Asymmetric bone ridges on muzzle.  
Jagged ear pattern  
  
Yeah, it was Brutus.  
  
Anyway, she climbed behind Bitch and held on tight. "All set. What would you guys do without me?"  
  
Regent chuckled, raising his scepter upwards. "You know we need you, Tats. You're our only Thinker. What would we do without your crazy guesses?"  
  
"Guesses? What is that you think I..."  
  
Grue smiled warmly and was glad that his helmet hid his expression. He didn't need his team knowing that sometimes he actually liked them. "Let's go. Undersiders, we go in fast and we keep moving. Regent, trip Lung up any chance you get. Tattletale, keep me informed on what you think he's going to do. We each touch this guy and we get the hell out. Let's do this!"  
  
Bitch barked out orders to her dogs, Judas, Brutus and Angelica, and the Undersiders headed towards Lung.


	18. Complications 2.3

Complications 2.3

 

With a thunderous crash, Greg landed on the already damaged street, adding a rather impressive crater to it's collection of ditches, gaps and generally torn apart pavement.  
Oddly enough, the fall had barely even jostled the figure he held in his arms, the still unnamed bug-controlling cape. Greg thought that was odd but he would think about that later. He had to get the female cape to safety immediately.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!"

Now if she would only stop screaming. Even if his hearing wasn't enhanced, it would be annoying. With his new super hearing, it was like nails on chalkboard and a distraction he didn't really need right now. Honestly, why was she still even screaming anyway?

The fall was only a few seconds long and Greg was pretty sure she didn't break any bones. Hell, he doubted she was even hurt. Which, now that he thought about it, was really strange. It made no sense at all. 'The building was just over twenty stories tall, so roughly 70 meters. Together, we weighed around 280 pounds and we fell for about 4 seconds. We should have hit the ground with at least an average of 2 million Newtons of force. Why isn't she pulp? ....That really doesn't matter. That's a question for later.' Apart from the admittedly stupid idea of jumping off the building, he was doing his very best to keep her safe and she was still screaming her head off. What was the big deal now?

Greg paused that train of thought and made a quick jumping movement to the right, leaping over the burned husk of a car with a good ten feet to spare, as the ground beneath his feet suddenly burst open in a relatively small explosion as a fireball impacted behind him , sending flames and red hot gravel into the air. Lung's roar from behind him was almost palpable in the rage it held.

Ah, that was it. Lung, of course, how did he not realize it before? She was scared of Lung.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!"

Make that VERY scared of Lung. Did she really have to scream in his ear though? He did have enhanced hearing. That shit got annoying real fast.

With a quick glance behind him, Greg leapt into the air and scaled a building in less than three steps before he kicked off the wall in front of him, bounding away just as Lung's tail lanced through the building in front of him, tearing through brick and mortar like a hot steak knife.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"

Maybe it wasn't just Lung. After all, the dragon had tried to roast her a few minutes ago and she had barely screamed. In fact, she froze up. 'So, why is she screaming now?' Greg thought to himself. 'She should be distracting Lung, not making my ears bleed.' "Hey, Bug Lady, use your bugs already!"

She stopped her shrieking and looked up at him, her insect-like mask shuddering slightly. "I-I-I can't."

'Ah...shit.'

Greg turned on a dime, doubling back in the opposite direction and running directly under Lung, prompting the scarlet dragon-man to roar in anger.

Greg dodged a gout of flame that Lung sent at his retreating figure, causing Bug Lady to emit another shriek. "What do you mean, 'you can't'?"

Bug Lady's voice wavered a bit as she responded, "L-Lung can fly and he's moving way too fast. I've tried getting close to him but most of the bugs that even touch him die."

"...fuck."

Greg poured on the speed, his legs pumping fast enough to outpace a Formula 1 car and his glow increasing in intensity. Despite his incredible rate of movement and superhuman agility, Lung was still keeping up. His new snakelike body was somehow fast and agile enough to keep up with much smaller targets, following each and every one of Greg's attempts to avoid him.

It was kind of annoying, actually. It wasn't like he didn't want to fight Lung. He did. He really, really, really, did. It was just the matter of the girl in his arms, the squishy girl who was not wearing a fireproof suit. It's not like he could fight Lung with her in his arms.

Could he?

All he'd have to do is use his feet to fight Lung and be more careful around his flames, and claws and...that fucking tail. It could work. Kicks do have more force behind them than punches.

No...no...just...no. That's crazy. But maybe....NO. Greg shook his head at the thought. Now was not the time to be thinking of stuff like that. Safety first for the squishy person.

"BUUUUUUURRRRRRRRN!!!"

The street in front of Greg exploded as gouts of flame fell from the sky, tearing apart what little remained of whatever street Lung had decided to rampage. Greg winced and dug in his heels, leaving grooves in the already destroyed pavement. The heat from the explosion were powerful and spreading fast. The many wooden buildings that made up the Docks went up like dry tinder, tinging the night sky orange with the amount of light the inferno emitted.

'Fuck RUNNING! He's gonna destroy everything in Brockton at this rate and Bug Lady might die! No more fucking around.'

Mindful of the female cape still holding onto his neck, Greg spun around so he was facing the quickly approaching Lung and ran towards him, surprising both Lung as he halted his undulating snake-like movement and the Bug Lady, if the increased pitch of her screaming actually meant something about her emotional state. God, he wish he had some duct tape right now!

With a bit more effort than usual, Greg forced a portion of energy into his right hand, causing the golden aura around him to dim for a second, and a flash of golden light flew from his hands, moving quicker than Greg had thought possible.

Lung apparently didn't think it possible either as he simply hung in the air, wings still flapping, staring silently at the spot where his limousine sized left arm/shoulder formerly occupied. Even the Bug Girl had stopped screaming and gaped at the cauterized nub that took the place of Lung's wickedly spiked limb.

Greg was shocked as well but, as usual, his mind was already somewhere else. 'He's not even roaring or anything. Does it hurt him? Maybe it doesn't. He's so massive, he probably barely feels pain anymore. He did just lose an arm, though. He's definitely going to be pissed, though...I wonder if he'd be angry enough to eat me. Does Lung eat people? He probably does. Dude is a dragon. Dragons do that. I mean, it's not cannibalism if you're a dragon, right? It's just normal dragon business. Eating people, setting things on fire. Dragon stuff.'

Greg's inane inner monologue was suddenly interrupted by a quick feeling of pressure on his face and he looked down to see the Bug Girl out of his arms and shaking her hand. 'Did she just slap me?...and when did she let go of me?'

The girl had already started running away from Lung and Greg but not before yelling behind her,"Run, dummy! Stop staring off into space like an idiot and run!"

The Bug Girl's screams woke not only Greg, but Lung as well from their separate dazes. Lung roared in anger and pain, his bellows sounding less like a human and more like a wounded animal and he lunged downward toward Greg.

Greg turned on his heels and ran, attempting to put as much distance between himself and the rampaging dragon.

He didn't get far.

With the force of a semi-trailer, Lung's massive head crashed into Greg's retreating back, sending the young hero sprawling into the hot, jagged pavement. Greg hissed in pain as he felt his ribs crack and he tried to roll with the force of the blow, bashing his head on the rough street.

He gasped weakly, struggling to draw breath, and rolled over quickly in an attempt to get up. Greg jumped up quickly, ignoring the blinding pain in abdomen, and not a second too late. Lung's razor sharp tail stabbed through the spot where he once was, gouging a deep gash into the ground. Landing on the ground with a wheeze, Greg was not ready for the torrent of flame that Lung spewed from his maw.

Striking at him with a physical force, the blast of flame exploded as soon as it struck him, sending him flying. Everything burned. He didn't know how far he flew or where he was going and he didn't care. He just wanted it to stop. Greg's vision went black.

\------------------------------------------------------------

Sounds...roaring...sirens...gunshots...crashes...something was wrong.

His face...his chest...arms...legs...breathing...Everything hurt. Everything hurt so much.  
His body screamed in pain and his muscles burned. Blood filled his throat, filling his mouth with an iron taste. One of his arms hurt less than the other. He didn't know why and, right now, he didn't care. His skin also felt strange. It hurt, just like everything else but it felt...odd. Thick. Not right. Why? Why did everything hurt?

Greg forced himself to open his eyes, a slight movement that felt like the hardest thing he had ever done. He moved his neck, odd gasping noises involuntarily being emitted from his throat at the pain. He looked up, an oddly shaped hole in a dust-covered wooden wall the first thing he saw. He was in a room, a dusty, empty, insect-ridden room. Small flames were all over the place, threatening to converge into a blaze but a strong breeze prevented them from truly lighting up. 'Flames? Fire...was there an explosion?'

Greg attempted to sit up and nearly bit his tongue from the spasm of pain that ran through him. His head spun and he tried again, managing to pull himself up on one knee before nearly letting out a scream of pain. 'What...happened? Where am I?'

His breathing got heavier with every single moment of pain that he tortured himself with. Something was wrong, that much he knew. If he was hurt, what about Mom? Something could have happened. Where was the Boss? Why didn't Evron help? What was going on? The inside of the building was almost pitch black. It was abandoned, of course, so it lacked electricity. An orange light came from the hole in the wall. Greg needed to see.

Pulling himself up, Greg held on to the dilapidated walls of the rustic building as a support. Knees buckling from the pain, he made his way over to the hole and looked out.

With the available light, Greg noticed several things that he felt were rather pertinent to figuring out what had happened to him.

He was wearing...something...that seemed to be barely hanging on. It seemed to be white and gold, or at least it had been at one point. It was burnt and torn in several places, damaged beyond repair. His entire chest was bare and so were his forearms and feet. 'Did I make myself a costume? To fight? Did Ev give it to me? What the hell happened?'

His hands and, from what he could tell, most of his skin was burnt, severely burnt. So burnt that his skin was leathery, bleeding and peeling in most places. One of his arms, the right one, was little more than hamburger meat, almost completely unrecognizable as a limb. A burnt piece of meat maybe, but not an arm. "Wh-w-w-what is this? How could this happen? Why do I look like this? My skin...", Greg raised his hand to his face, the leathery sensation the same as on his hands, "my face..."

Greg raised his hand slowly to his scalp, dreading what he would feel. "...my hair..." It wasn't as bad as he thought but it was much, much worse than he hoped. The sides of his scalp were gone, leaving bleeding leathery skin in it's place. The only hair on his head was in a style that resembled a mohawk.

Greg fell to his knees, ignoring the screaming pain that his body was trying to force him to acknowledge. So many questions were running through his mind. So many, many questions. "What happened? What am I wearing? Why am I like this?...WHAT IS GOING ON?!!! I DON'T UND-!!!"

An intense roar interrupted Greg's breakdown and a massive slitted black and red eye surrounded by scarlet scales and ebony spikes appeared in the space leading to the outside. Greg shrieked and jumped back, fear overriding the signals of intense pain his body was sending him. With the sound of tearing wood and a rush of air, the ceiling above Greg dissapeared and he bore witness to the massive, serpentine, winged form of a dragon above him.

"What the-?"

He didn't get a chance to finish.

The dragon roared and an orange burst of flame shot from it's gaping maw.

An influx of images and thoughts hit Greg simultaneously as he recalled the events of tonight and recognized the appearance of the beast in front of him.

'Lung?...Lung. Lung!!!'

Time slowed down and the look of fear plastered on Greg's voice changed to one of glee. Slightly unhinged, manic, glee but glee all the same. Unnoticed by Greg, golden lights darted all around his skin, returning small portions of his skin to normal. His right arm glowed as well but nothing much happened to the mangled lump of meat.

The car-sized ball of flame rushed downwards and just before it landed, Greg moved.

\-----------------------------------------------

The abandoned house the blonde brat was in exploded, Lung's intense flame consuming the old wood of the rustic dwelling and spreading to other houses.

Lung's sharp eyes darted all around, searching for signs of the blonde's corpse anywhere. He knew that didn't kill him. He saw the smile on his face. That fucking brat needed to die. That little shit fucked with Him! Him! Lung!!! Tried to fucking ambush him! He wouldn't stop until he was sure he was done! Rip his arms off and eat them. That bug bitch too!!! She made Him eat bugs! He would find that Bug Bitch and roast her, roast her until she was nice and cooked, then eat her. No! No, she'd probably taste like fucking bugs.

The white boy! Yes, eat him first! One of Kaiser's, definitely! Kaiser, yes! Eat Kaiser next! Crunch his little shell like a crab! Stupid Kaiser kept trying to fight Him! The Dragon of Brockton Bay. Wouldn't stop attacking His men because someone burnt and ate some of his Nazis. Not Him! His hunger was new! Very new! As new as his new powers. He didn't know or care how his powers had changed or why but he was just so HUNGRY.

"WHERE ARE YOU?!!! WHERE ARE YOU?!!!!"

Lung darted in and out of the buildings in the Docks in his search for the blonde Kaiser brat, uncaring of the damage that his flames had caused and were still causing. The PRT and Protectorate wouldn't stop him, couldn't stop him even if they tried. They were busy fighting the gang war that fucking Kaiser started. He could only take a few men with him to kill those fucking kids that stole from Him. Lee and most of his men were in the streets fighting Kaiser and his Nazis. They were going to win. Lung knew it. At least, they better fucking win! If they didn't, he'd be fucking mad. He wouldn't eat Lee, though. Lee was good. Lee was a friend. Besides, he'd probably taste like dust.

Where the hell was this kid? Lung descended to the ground until he was at the roof level of some of the smaller buildings and tried to focus on his senses, intent on hunting down the kid and eating him alive. His hearing was useless. The sound of crackling flames and falling buildings all around would drown out any sounds the boy would make, his heartbeat especially. His sense of smell would not be much help in this situation either. Everything was on fire. Lung could smell plenty of burnt flesh all around, several of them his own men, but he couldn't tell them apart. He couldn't smell, he couldn't hear. What was he supposed to do?

Suddenly, a sound hit Lung's ears. Gasping, and a pained moaning from one of the rooftops around him. Which one? Where was he? Lung roared in an attempt to scare the boy into running.

Nothing.

No...footsteps. Behind him! No! In front! Left! Right! Where is he? "NO POINT HIDING!!! YOU'LL STILL DIE!!!", he spoke in that odd gravelly, yet clear rumbling bass.

The corona of flame around Lung grew, appearing more as a massive aura of fire, and massive balls of fire formed in his fists at the same time as another formed in his mouth.

With an unearthly roar, Lung exploded with the force of over thirty tons of TNT, sending a blast wave rushing from the epicenter of the explosion, namely Lung.

An inferno rushed out from him in all directions, creating a blazing dome of pure death that encompassed more than three entire blocks, collapsing many buildings and melting cars to slag. A large portion of the Docks had been destroyed in the fight already but this area, this area was little more than flat ground.

Lung breathed heavily, more out of rage than any exertion or tiredness. 'That had to kill him. It had to. Kaiser's gonna regret sending his little Junior Nazi Brute to fight me.'

Despite the scene of utter decimation that was once part of the Docks, Lung couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about the boy's death...something was definitely wrong. The boy had fought him with a tremendous strength, a good amount of skill as well, but the strength and speed were what had caught his eye. Lung had stabbed him in the chest and less than a minute later, he was ready for more. He was a Brute, definitely a high level Brute, he wasn't going down that easily. Lung's eyes shifted around, searching for any trace of the little Nazi fucker.

His ears twitched and he heard...something. Lung whipped his large head around several times, looking for the cause of the sound. It was almost like a soft whistling on the wind, definitely not something a normal human would ever pick up.

Lung hung in the air for a second more, wondering exactly what that odd sound was, and on a whim he looked up as a glowing yellow missile slammed into his skull from above.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Greg Veder liked to think he was a guy with simple needs. He liked anime, porn, hentai, nerdy girls, porn, capes and junk food. Also, porn. Weed would be on that list but his only access to it was Sparky and he was usually busy at his dad's restaurant. Did he mention porn? Anyway, he had felt like things had been a little different in the month since he had gotten his powers. Evron had told him that physical improvements were soon to come and they did. He had gotten ABS! His muscles were toned and firm. He was a little disappointed that his junk hadn't grown since he had changed but he figured that at the rate his powers were growing, he'd need two rulers soon. Although, when he had asked Evron about it, he had stared at him quietly for a good thirty seconds before laughing so he assumed that was normal.

Greg liked having powers, he really did. The novelty of being able to chuck a four door sedan the length of a city block or being able to outpace a car on the highway hadn't worn off yet and he hoped it never would. However, Greg had been feeling...odd. Maybe he was losing it, he didn't know, but he had been acting oddly. His mother had noticed his new appearance and had also noticed his odd personality changes. When Greg first noticed his muscles, he had spent hours in front of the mirror, naked, admiring his new form. He hadn't stopped. Everyday, he would admire himself for a period of time that any regular person would consider too long. His stringy blonde hair had gained life and volume, the golden color brighter than ever. His skin had gone from pasty from his many years inside and in front of a screen to a porcelain complexion that he personally described as "beautiful". That wasn't him. He would never describe himself as beautiful. Handsome, maybe, but not beautiful. It was so ridiculous that he had to buy extra storage cards for his phone because of all the selfies he had been taking!

It wasn't just his appearance. While training with Evron, he had noticed himself exhibiting certain skills no one had ever taught him. He had instinctively known how to use weapons in a fight even though he had never done so before and, frankly, his hand-to-hand skills weren't bad either. He had displayed a ferocity when training with Ev that was just not like him. Tonight had proved that something was up. Any normal person that was fighting someone whose powers are "gets stronger when fights" would not do what he had done tonight. He had prolonged the battle, taunted Lung, held back on his blasts and rarely used them, preferring to get in close to someone who was much stronger than he was and literally breathed fire. He had laughed in the middle of the whole thing. Laughed...At...Lung! Something was wrong there.

His final clue was his lengthy inner monologues and the weird tone they seemed to be taking. Greg was not one to think much. He was a pretty smart guy but he didn't think much. He was usually doing something he liked, watching porn or doing something boring. Now, he seemed to be analyzing everything and trying to pay attention to almost every situation all the time. Sometimes, his thoughts would be smart and logical, like right now, allowing him to realize things or other times they would be a stupid and inane rambling that pretty much resembled how he usually spoke.

'Either way,' he thought to himself, 'I've got to talk to the Boss about it. Now I've got to focus.' And he did, have to focus, that is. Greg was currently in freefall headed directly toward Lung. The giant lizard had been hunting him while he was still struggling to recover from the initial attack that had left him painfully burnt. 'And ruined my hair!'

He had made his way to the roof of a warehouse and Lung had been close on his trail. He had hid as the soft golden glow had healed whatever pain he had been feeling all over his body while leaving his hideous burns untouched. The dragon hadn't known where he was hiding but Lung could tell he was close. Then Lung had the brilliant idea of nuking everything around him in a blaze of glory. He had seen the buildup of Lung's flames and had pushed a large amount of Zirin to his leg muscles to increase his jumping power. It had felt...not painful but odd, like the feeling you had when your leg was asleep but magnified by ten times, almost as if insects were inside his veins or under his skin. He had jumped just in time. His leap had carried him very high, high enough that he worried he might be hit by a low-flying plane. It also allowed him to see the extent of the damage Lung had caused. Lung's explosion had destroyed everything for blocks. Greg winced at the thought of all the people that may have been living in that area. All gone...

'I'm going to put him down this time. No jokes. No playing around.'

Greg angled his body until he was almost completely vertical and his feet were pointing downwards, one foot extended out. His golden glow returned to his skin and he felt a sense of confidence return to him, overshadowing all the doubts he just had.

He was moving faster and faster, the angle of his body increasing the speed of his fall with every passing second. Lung became visible as more than a red worm and Greg grinned, his light show increasing.

As if in slow motion, he noticed Lung tilt his head upwards. An instant later, Greg, glowing as bright as Scion himself, delivered a kick to Lung's cranium at terminal velocity.

Several loud cracking noises were heard as Lung's skull was penetrated by Greg's right foot, sending bone shrapnel from said skull flying, and Greg's right leg broke in several places due to coming in contact with something as hard as Lung's head.

Lung fell to the ground with an ungrateful crash and began thrashing viciously, jerky motions bearing the signs of intense pain rather than anger, in an attempt to free itself of whatever was currently stuck in it's cranium. His arms attempted to move but would instead spasm, leaving him unable to grasp Greg. Flames burst from his body at random intervals, doing nothing to harm the already destroyed environment. Lung was unconscious, most likely his body's attempt at dealing with the pain of having his skull caved in.

Greg cried out as he felt a renewed sense of pain as he felt his already broken bones crack and shift while Lung's muscles seized up as he shook violently on the ruined street. 'Come on! Finish this! End it!' Greg steeled himself, biting his tongue in an attempt to stop his cries of pain. Zirin was sent flowing to his right fist, the sensation of pins and needles flaring up again, and a golden blade formed. Greg held it over Lung's basketball sized, open, unseeing eye. He could do this...right? Just once through his eye and everything would be over. No more Lung. The ABB would collapse. One of the biggest problems of Brockton Bay gone, just like that.

'Just stab him!!! Come on! He tried to kill you! DO IT!' In a quick motion, Greg plunged the incredibly sharp blade through Lung's eye up to his elbow. He ignored the slick, disgusting, wet feeling on his arm and twisted the blade before pulling out. He watched Lung's unmoving body for a few moments, watching...waiting...Lung opened his other eye and gave a weak roar of pain, one of his eyes ruined and bleeding intensely. Greg reacted immediately, the golden blade plunging into Lung's one remaining eye and he pushed even deeper, not stopping until his shoulder was immersed completely in Lung's ocular cavity. He gave a few more stabs for good measure until he was sure Lung wasn't getting back up. No breathing...no movement...

Wincing at the pain, Greg pulled his damaged leg from Lung's cranium and lay on the sidewalk using Lung's dead body to prop himself up. 'I did it!' He had, in fact, done it. This was it. His crowning moment. He was beaten, bloody, bruised, horrifically burnt and mostly hairless but he had defeated Lung. He was so tired. Everything hurt. His body felt like ants were crawling under every inch of his skin and he felt like throwing up everything he had ever eaten. But...he won.

This was a hard fight and he was...just...so...tired. He didn't even have the strength to yawn. He closed his eyes for a moment. He just wanted to rest...but that wasn't going to happen. Sounds...barking....growling...sniffing. He opened his eyes to see three large...things standing a little bit away from him. He wasn't sure what they were. They looked like an animal Tinker took a dog, a lizard and a lion together and just went apeshit trying to make something...workable.

People were on the dog-lizard-lion things...young people. Five of them, really. They all seemed to have their eyes on the massive mountain of red scales behind him. A guy with a motorcycle helmet and leather jacket with black smoke coming out of his helmet. 'Dark Helmet', thought Greg to himself, the blood loss beginning to get to him. A girl with a bug mask and long, curly black hair. "Hey, Bug Lady!" The Bug Lady waved back. A somewhat unfeminine girl with a dog mask on that was standing by the dog things. She looked mean. 'Bitch.' Greg laughed at his own joke. A guy with black hair wearing a tiara, white mask and a poofy shirt and holding onto a jeweled stick. '...Gay Prince.' The last person was the one walking up to him. A pretty blonde girl in a domino mask and a skintight purple and black outfit. "Pretty..."

She smiled at him and held out a hand, barely even glancing at Lung's dead body just an arms length away. "Hi there, handsome. Need some help getting up?"

Greg stared at her hand for a moment before nodding. He grabbed on to her hand and she helped pull him to his feet, with a small grunt. "...Thank you," Greg replied as he leaned on Lung's body for support, his leg still broken in several places.

She stepped closer, her hand still in his, almost as if she didn't care that he was covered in dirt, soot, and various bodily fluids. Not to mention terribly burnt and nearly bald. "My name's Tattletale, What's yours?"

For a moment, all Greg could think about was what type of parents would name their daughter Tattletale until he realized that the name Tattletale was her cape name. "...I'm Superior."

Tattletale smirked and softly held his visible bicep on his left arm. The right was still too mangled. "Yes, you are...Your first night and you took down Lung? Impressive."

"Thank you."

Tattletale glanced at Lung carefully before giving Greg a kind smile. Turning around, she waved for her friends/teammates to come over and they did, walking slowly but none so much as the Bug Lady, who flinched everytime she saw the scarlet Dragon. "Superior, these are my friends." Black Helmet walked up, shook his hand vigorously for a few second before letting go. "Grue, the leader." The next one up was the skinny crown guy, Gay Prince. "Meet Regent." Gay Prince nodded at him and gave him a handshake as well. "Bitch" 'I was right? Wow, maybe I'm a precog, too.' Bitch stepped forward and looked at Greg for a few seconds before she placed a hand on his bare shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze. "Good job." There was an awkward silence between everyone there that held until Bitch walked away. "And last but not least, our newest member, Arachne. We found her lost and running away from the fight between the Big Bad Lung and a powerful new Hero. " The Bug Lady...Arachne stepped forward and tilted her head at Greg while at the same time keeping her distance from Lung's corpse. "I really want to thank you for saving me. You didn't have to but you did...and I'm sorry I was being so...difficult. I didn't expect any of this to happen.'

Greg smiled at her, lack of blood making his smile more lopsided than charming. "No problem. I am a hero after all. Who are you guys, anyway?"

He heard an odd low-pitched humming sound coming closer to them. He apparently wasn't the only one. "Armsmaster!", growled Bitch.

They all turned to look at her. Tattletale nodded. "She's telling the truth! We have to go now!"

"Wait, why? He's a hero."

They ran to their dog-things, Arachne lagging behind, and as they climbed on, Tattletale turned to me. "Bye, Superior. Don't worry about your burns, they'll heal up."

And with that, the dogs bounded away. Just in time for the source of the low-pitched humming to appear. Armsmaster rode up on his blue and silver ArmsCycle, as it was known on PHO. In a single movement, he shut off his bike and jumped off, his Halberd in hand. Armsmaster was one of Greg's favorite heroes, an honor that only belonged to one other cape, Eidolon. He owned Armsmaster action figures, bedspreads, backpacks, posters and tool sets. A week ago, Greg would have given up half the things he owned to meet Armsmaster. Right now, he didn't give a shit.

They stood a few meters apart from each other, engaged in a staring contest, one of them a social outcast and a nerd who had worked hard to achieve things people would have thought impossible coming from him and the other was one Greg Lucas Veder.

Armsmaster broke the silence first.

"You gonna fight me?"

That...was not what Greg expected. He wasn't sure what he had expected but this...this wasn't it.

"...Really, dude? Do I look like I'm a villain?"

Armsmaster simply stared. "I don't know. I have no records of you. Are you?"

Greg sighed heavily, ignoring the pain in his lungs and wishing he could just sleep. He was tired. He was half-naked, bleeding, bruised, broken and mask-less, and that last one opened up a shitload of problems on it's own. He had just killed Lung and this fucker was giving him this right now. He didn't have time for this shit.

"No. I'm a hero!", Greg yelled out, more than a tinge of annoyance in his tone.

There was a pause from Armsmaster,

"...You're not...lying." He sounded off, almost as if he wasn't sure about what he was saying. "What happened here?"

"Lung was ranting about killing some kids. and then...

Armsmaster tilted his head in surprise at the first statement before shaking his head and interrupting Greg. "This is Lung? Why is his appearance so different?"

Greg sighed. "Beats me. Anyway I tried to stop him. We fought, I ran, We fought some more. He almost killed me a couple times. We fought again. I killed him," replied Greg glibly.

That's not true."

Greg spluttered weakly. "W-what are you talking about? I killed him when he was rampaging."

Armsmaster pointed at Lung's mass. " He's breathing. It's rather weak but it's still there. I should get him into custody immediately."

Greg shrugged, somewhat disappointed that he hadn't killed Lung after all his work.

Armsmaster aimed his Halberd at Lung and shot several rounds of some type of tranquilizer dart that stuck themselves in his hide. He pressed a button somewhere on his Halberd and the tip opened up, revealing a small nozzle which then sprayed containment foam all over Lung. When he considered Lung's unconscious form properly restrained, he turned back to Greg. "We still have something else to deal with."

Before Greg could even open his mouth, Armsmaster continued. "Who gets the credit for Lung?"

Greg recoiled and glared at him. "What do you mean? I took down Lung! I get the credit!"

"Hear me out. What you've done tonight is spectacular. You played a part in getting a major villain into custody."

Greg's blood boiled. "Played a part? You-you-you ASS! I DID EVERYTHING! I kicked his ass! I caved his skull in! I stabbed his eyes out!!!" 'Some hero.'

Armsmaster backed up, obviously not expecting this level of vehemence from Greg. "Listen, you need to consider the consequences."

"Consequences?! Fuck your consequences!!! I got stabbed in the chest by Lung's fucking tail! My arm looks like it belongs on a fucking sesame seed bun! I look like a piece of steak someone left on the grill too long! My hair is gone!!! Lung burnt off my mask. He saw my fucking face already!!!", Greg roared, bloody spit flying from his mouth as he shouted at the leader of the local Protectorate. Ignoring the pain in his leg, he began to limp forward. "I went through hell to kill this fucker and you want to take that from me?!!! I'LL FUCKI-oh, that feels weird..."

Greg paused and looked down to see a familiar red dart sticking out of his chest. He looked up at Armsmaster who was pressing another button on his Halberd, returning it to pocket size with a whoosh of air.

The whole world was turning, spinning young Mr. Veder around like a cheap ride at a carnival. Greg felt himself stumbling and before he knew it, he was lying on the floor. He looked up to see Armsmaster standing above him, expression as grim as usual. He had to say something. "You fucker..."Greg knew no more.


	19. Interlude 2b: Emma Barnes

> Interlude 2b  
>   
>   
> Emma Barnes  
>   
>   
>   
> You're either a predator or you're prey.  
>   
> It's a very simple concept and one I've done my best to live by. I was prey once and I swore that I would never let that happen again, but something like that? It's easier said then done. Sophia thinks that attitude and determination is what truly separates predator from prey. That isn't the case, not really. It's power; social, economic, physical power. If I want to be safe in this world, then I need power. To do that I need to be honest about my strengths and weaknesses.  
>   
> I know my strengths. I'm pretty, decently athletic, and thanks to Sophia, I know a little about fighting. Socially, I'm the queen of Winslow high but that means nothing in the real world. I know that I'm more or less protected at school, despite Winslow being what it was, but outside of it I'm vulnerable. Modeling means more contacts. It means more money. It increases my chances of getting power...but it's not enough. Not nearly enough. Being friends with Sophia is great, honestly. I learned a lot from her but I don't just want to be her friend. No, I want to be _**her**_.  
>   
>  I want to be a parahuman and if I can't be one, then I want to be around them, to touch power if I can't have it myself. I've studied them. I did my best to learn how they come to be and I discovered that parahumans usually have children who are also parahuman. If I can't be a parahuman, well...then my children can be that way. Yes, I know I'm pretty damn young but I'm willing to deal with a couple years of social censure if it means my children have powers.  
>   
> It's simply just a matter of evolution, changing with the times. Predators get stronger by choosing strong mates. It's a pity that Sophia doesn't get that. If she had been more social, all we would have to do was make arrangements with one of the boys in the Wards. I know that I wouldn't have minded Aegis with his hunky body but, thanks to Sophia, that well is completely poisoned. They don't trust her, and thus wouldn't trust me. Which means I have to find a parahuman of my own.  
>   
> I watched as Greg beat the bigger man and tried to play it off. He failed miserably. No one bought it. Fights weren't all about how big and strong you were in Winslow. Sometimes it was about the fight in the dog. Even then, no one beat Mal. Not in a straight fight, at least.  
>   
> Besides, it would be impossible for someone as scrawny as Greg to move that fast and knock out someone like Mal, who obviously abused steroids. It was also impossible to be hit as hard and as many times as Greg had been and not receive a single bruise. Impossible...unless you were a cape. I saw that Greg wasn't hurt, wasn't even bothered by Mal's hits. I saw him get up and stop a punch by holding up a single palm. I saw him **win**.  
>   
>  Sophia hadn't paid him too much attention while Madison had run away like a little bitch, terrified of Greg coming to kill her for some reason. Apparently, she had made fun of him for an entire period. Whatever, serves her right, anyway. She'd been getting a bit too uppity recently. The two of them just couldn't appreciate the rawness of what I had seen in Greg. He was powerful, vicious, more than a predator, really. More like an...Apex Predator.  
>   
> Honestly, watching him had gotten me so excited that I had to change my underwear when I got home that day. The anger and rage on his face when he punched the bigger guy...yeah, that was the best. Greg had changed instantly, losing all pretenses of weakness in one moment. He had shown his power and I wanted that power. I didn't care if he was next to me or inside me, but I needed to be close to him. I needed him to **need** me.  
>   
>  Greg Veder. Yeah, he was a loser but not anymore. He was a predator now and I was going to make him **mine**. After all, nobody ever said predators couldn't hunt other predators.
> 
>  

 


	20. Complications 2.4A

>   
>   
> Emily Piggot  
>   
>   
> Director Emily Piggot sighed as she lifted her head from the rather thick report on her desk. Tonight had been a horror for Brockton Bay. The rising tensions between the E88 and the ABB had been escalating for months and they had finally come to a head tonight. Many low-level members from both gangs had taken to the streets of the Bay, intent on killing each other.  
>   
> Fighting had quickly spread from parts of the Docks to the Boardwalk, the Trainyard and somehow managed to reach Downtown. Then things got even worse when the Merchants joined in, with Mush and Skidmark in the lead. Oni Lee only increased the bloodshed when he appeared with reinforcements, prompting Victor, Krieg, Alabaster and Cricket to join in. It did not help matters that Lung started burning down the Docks, apparently after undergoing a second trigger which changed his appearance. Brockton Bay was really in it deep tonight.  
>   
> Then she had received information from a physician concerning the new parahuman Armsmaster had apprehended just a few hours earlier. A parahuman that was reported to have taken down Lung. A parahuman that Armsmaster had tranquilized within a minute of meeting him. Piggot was confused, annoyed, sleep-deprived and very hungry. All bad things on their own. Combined, they made her one very furious woman.  
>   
> She looked up at Armsmaster, a piercing stare her only expression."Explain."  
>   
> Armsmaster stood up a little straighter. "What would you like me to clarify, Director? My report was very detailed."  
>   
> Piggot clasped her hands in front of her as she continued staring at Armsmaster and it was a few moments before she spoke again. "Your report was very detailed, as usual, Armsmaster. You went into specifics on how many E88, Merchant, and ABB members you apprehended, what methods you used in each and every single apprehension, how often you used your halberd, how many tranquilizers you used and an entire page long tangent on how an increased budget could increase your effectiveness against Movers like Oni Lee!"  
>   
> Armsmaster nodded. "That is correct, Director. Oni Lee's clones are nearly identical to him until their time limits run out. A larger budget would allow me to build a detection system that-"  
>   
> "That is not the point!," snarled Piggot. "I do not care about your budget. What I care about is the fact that half the Docks have been leveled. What I care about is that Lung has triggered again and is now more powerful than ever. What I care about, Colin, is that the new trigger that we reported at Winslow today is downstairs in the MedBay after defeating Lung with your tranquilizer in his system. Why is that, Colin? And why is that skimmed over in your report when you went into detail on other, less important things?!"  
>   
> Armsmaster was silent for a few moments, his mouth in a visible frown. "I was unaware that he was a new trigger. I had no information on him prior to our confrontation. Why was I not informed about him?"  
>   
> Piggot narrowed her eyes at Armsmaster. "There was a small briefing earlier today. We went over new information. You declined to come in but but you still were sent a copy of the information as you were 'too busy preparing contingencies for Lung'."  
>   
> Armsmaster frowned as soon as Piggot spoke. He had in fact received a packet of information and intended to read it but the gang war had interrupted him.  
>   
> Piggot wasn't done. "You didn't answer my question. Why did you tranq him?"  
>   
> "When I approached the scene, the first thing that caught my attention was the damage to the docks. I was cautious about what could have caused Lung to cause such damage to the area. Lung's new appearance and how badly he was damaged..."Armsmaster began a verbal report but trailed off as Piggot held up a hand.  
>   
> "Stop right there, Colin. I asked you a simple question. I do not need a verbal report. I already have enough on my plate tonight. Just...answer the question," Piggot growled.  
>   
> "I tranquilized him because he appeared to be belligerent and potentially violent. I noticed the brutality with which Lung was taken down and he believed to have killed him. He seemed disappointed when I told him that was false. He was also at risk of aggravating his injuries, as he was dragging a broken and bleeding leg behind him without care while he was severely burned," Armsmaster answered succinctly.  
>   
> Piggot's frown only increased as he spoke. What Armsmaster said sounded true...for the most part and she could see how he might feel threatened by someone strong enough to take down an improved Lung, but she had known Armsmaster for years. She knew how he thought, how he spoke. Something was off. Something...wait. How he spoke? "You say he was belligerent? Do you think there may be a reason for that?"  
>   
> Armsmaster shook his head tersely. "It may be due to his powers. I can't be sure."  
>   
> Piggot sat back in her chair, eyes merely slits at this point. "Really? You can't be sure? Tell me something, Colin. You spoke to him, didn't you?"  
>   
> Armsmaster flinched and the action didn't go unnoticed by Piggot. Neither did his silence. Normally, she quite enjoyed putting pressure on a cape that went out of line but this was just another annoyance she didn't need today.  
>   
> "I attempted to gain some information from him but he became extremely aggressive leading to the incident."  
>   
> "...Exactly what did you say to him that lead up to his...belligerence?"  
>   
> "I'm not sure what you mean."  
>   
> Piggot leaned forward and gave Armsmaster a look that well expressed the current level of her patience. "I think you know very well what I mean. What did you say to him...exactly?"  
>   
> "...He was young, without a mask, and severely injured. I simply tried to convince him to keep his head down and not bring undue attention to himself by parading the fact that he defeated Lung. It was part of my attempt to get him to join the Wards. I was also aware that an unknown rookie defeating Lung would make the Protectorate look bad. He didn't even let me finish without resorting to profanity," Armsmaster replied smoothly, not a single hitch in his speech.  
>   
> Piggot sighed. That all sounded well and good but she felt like she had a much better idea of what happened. "Do you know what we found out about the new trigger, Colin? His name is Greg Veder. He's apparently been bullied by ABB members in Winslow for over a year. He outed himself today, possibly at the same time he triggered but that's not likely as Shadow Stalker was there, retaliating against an E88 member who had been extorting him. He then goes out a few hours later and takes down Lung. His identity has already been exposed to both the E88 and the ABB, two groups that he has reason to hate. There's a good chance we'll be added to that list because of your stunt."  
>   
> Armsmaster took a step forward, attempting to explain. " I was just trying to-"  
>   
> Piggot wasn't going to have that.  
>   
> "No! I know what you were trying to do. We both know what you were trying to do. I don't care if he would have made us look bad. I don't care if he would have made you look bad. He would have probably been happy to join the Wards," Piggot continued, her voice taking a much harsher tone, " Even if he didn't, we could've spun it into something beneficial for us. Now, public opinion is going to be that the Protectorate attacked a young hero who stopped Lung from potentially destroying the entire city on his first outing as a cape and I doubt he's going to want to be part of a team that you are in charge of. This boy took on Lung with no backup and no idea of Lung's second trigger and won. If the public finds out his side of the story and that you tried to take credit for-"  
>   
> "I didn't-"  
>   
> "Don't interrupt me! We've worked together a long time, Colin. You can predict my actions in a given situation and I can do the same for you. My point still stands. We can't even pressure him into joining because we'll be flayed alive in the public if we're found out. So we have to lure him. Understand that?"  
>   
> Armsmaster nodded silently, his jaw tightening as she spoke.  
>   
> Piggot wasn't satisfied with that. "I said, do you understand that?"  
>   
> "Yes, I do."  
>   
> Piggot let out a deep breath through her nose and relaxed back in her chair. "What can you tell me about him? I know you observed him after his fight. Give me something."  
>   
> Armsmaster sighed and began to speak, his words settling into a rhythm quickly.  
>   
> "Firstly, his injuries. From what I observed, he had sustained third-degree burns over nearly 75% of his body. Most of his hair had been burnt off and I noticed his skull had been cracked. His right leg was broken and the bones were protruding from his leg. His right arm had been damaged to the point that it was unrecognizable as an arm and he had lost a severe amount of blood," Armsmaster clinically recited the young cape's injuries. "His durability seemed to be on par with Lung's or close enough for it not too matter. I know this because I used one of the special tranquilizers I designed for high level Brutes on him and it barely went past his skin. Regarding his personality, I believe he is highly brutal and most likely prone to excessive force. Upon my arrival, I noticed that Lung had both his eyes gouged out and his skull had been cracked open."  
>   
> Piggot scoffed and the large woman resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "It's Lung. When he's gotten that far, there's no such thing as excessive force. Is that all?"  
>   
> "No. I studied his injuries and noted that despite them, his functionality barely seemed to be limited. His breathing was not strained. He even seemed to be standing up without much pain despite the fact that his leg should not have supported him."  
>   
> Piggot nodded."So what you're saying is that he's like...Aegis but...stronger. Redundant but still useful."  
>   
> Armsmaster paused then nodded. "That is a possibility, yes, but he also displayed a healing factor. After I sedated him, I noticed some portions of his skin repairing themselves but not with any real speed. At he the rate he was healing, he should be in the MedBay for at least a few weeks. "  
>   
> Piggot made a satisfied grunt.  
> "He could be an asset to us in both PR and keeping Brockton Bay safe. That is, if we can get him to join. We've asked Panacea to help with him if she has a spare moment and I've already decided who will be sent to be convince him to join the Wards." She shot Armsmaster a glare as he opened his mouth. "You're not going down there until I say so and even then, only to deliver an apology. Understood?"  
>   
> Armsmaster grimaced as he nodded, obviously annoyed. Piggot didn't care how annoyed he was. She was the boss and she made the rules. That much was simple.  
>   
> "I sent a team to bring his mother here to the PRT base. She should already be down there as we speak. Miss Militia, Assault, Battery and Clockblocker will meet them after he wakes up," she announced calmly.  
>   
> Armsmaster's grimace seemed to somehow...intensify without his expression changing a bit. "I can understand Miss Militia and Battery but why Assault and Clockblocker?"  
>   
> Piggot smirked. "Militia and Battery are for the boy's mother. They're only there to convince her and as women, they'll have an advantage. As for Assault and Clockblocker, we're trying to convince a teenage boy to join us and as we don't have a naked model on staff, who better to convince a teenage boy than another teenage boy and someone who might as well be a teenage boy."  
>   
> Armsmaster's mouth twitched at that statement but he didn't smile. He was Armsmaster, after all.  
>   
> \---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
>   
> Susan Veder was a nice, sweet woman.  
>   
> A sweetie pie that didn't know when or how to say no to people and cared a bit too much. That's how people had described her at least.  
> Those people would be right.  
>   
> She liked caring for people, taking care of them. That's why she had become a nurse. She liked doing what she did. She loved the way people would light up when they realized someone, anyone cared about their pain and wanted to help them. It was one of the things that made her day. She'd be the first to admit that she somewhat resented Panacea but she couldn't help it. Patient's eyes used to light up the second she walked into a room because they knew how much she actually cared about them but that wasn't happening much anymore. When they realized that she wasn't Panacea, their eyes would darken and they'd become a bit...not harsh, but sulky. She really didn't mind. They cleared up once she got them talking. She did wish she had powers like Panacea, though. If she could heal like that, people would leave the hospital as happy as ever.  
>   
> Even without her patients, there was something else that made her day.  
>   
> Someone that never failed to put a smile on her face.  
>   
> Her son, Greg Veder.  
>   
> They had told her that her son was a parahuman after that team of PRT agents had come to the hospital and asked her to come with them. All it had taken was for one of them to say "It concerns your son" and she was in a PRT vehicle immediately. They had lead her to this room and she had seen him.  
>   
> She had cried when she saw him lying there.  
>   
> Who wouldn't?  
>   
> She was a single mother. She never imagined that something like that would ever happen to her. She had married her high school sweetheart. He was a big, handsome quarterback and she was...well, she was a nerd and while she had gotten prettier after high school, she was nothing compared to the popular girls. But that hadn't mattered back then. He had picked her, picked her over her sister, head cheerleader, and all of the other cheerleaders. She thought they would be together forever. She thought wrong.  
>   
> Her husband had left her almost three years ago for his little secretary, a girl that was only five years older than her son was. Her son, her beautiful, intelligent baby boy was all she had left to remind her that she was worth something. Something to tell her that her marriage to...that man...was worth something. Greg was her everything and now he lay there, covered head to toe in gauze and...he looked like he was dead. She had nearly fainted.  
>   
> Agent Whitmore, a female agent and one of the ones that had accompanied her, had stayed with her for a bit and had informed her that her son was a parahuman. A parahuman who had exposed himself at school while defending himself from a bully. A parahuman who had then gone out in the same day to fight a rampaging Lung and then defeated him.  
>   
> She had nearly fainted again.  
>   
> That was not her Greg. If his father had gotten powers at Greg's age, she could imagine him doing something like that. He was a brash, overconfident man who had somehow gotten a position as a financial manager despite being a narcissistic bastard with more brawn than brains. Greg did not take after his father. Greg was a sweet, kind boy who was just like her. She had taught him everything while his father was busy working. She told him to be nice to girls and taught him not to get drawn in by the first pretty face he saw and to find a girl with substance, with a brain.  
>   
> She had taught him all about the old comic books and heroes. They had played tabletop RPG's together. She showed him Superman, Spider-Man, Star Wars, Ghostbusters, Indiana Jones, Ferris Bueller, Back to the Future, E.T., The Goonies, Karate Kid, Spaceballs, Beetlejuice, essentially everything she had loved while growing up. In return, Greg had shown her anime, manga, comics as well as new music and movies from Earth Aleph that he had used torrents to download. They had a special relationship, one that Greg's father often derided Greg for, calling him a "mama's boy".  
>   
> She loved her son. He messed up sometimes but he was a kid. That's what they did. She just didn't understand today.  
>   
> Susan Veder sat by her son's side as she tried to understand what had lead to this.  
>   
> She knew he had been different for a few weeks now. He had been more confident and had been exercising almost constantly, coming home with bruises that he had told her had been from boxing at this gym he had been going to. She had believed him. Greg usually told her everything. He had told her when he was being bullied by the ABB and how he had to pay protection money to an E88 member. She had nearly marched down to the school to give the principal a piece of her mind. Greg had told her that all that would do would make it worse. She agreed after some thought. She had been bullied before. She had asked him if he wanted to transfer. He didn't want to leave Winslow. He had friends now. Well...he had Sparky and he didn't want to run away from his problems. Susan was proud of her son even though she didn't like the thought of him being bullied. In the end, all she did was give him extra allowance every week.  
>   
> Then she had noticed his new physique. This was what really made her pay attention. She was a nurse. She knew how much exercise accomplished what within a certain period of time. Greg had been almost rail thin before and now he was defined and sculpted in under a month. At first she had considered steroids. She had asked him about it and he had smiled with that cute little smile of his and said that his trainer was just awesome like that. She accepted that even though she was more than a tad suspicious. After that, Greg's acne had cleared up, his complexion just changed and his hair looked like he had been to a stylist. She didn't mention it but her suspicion was growing. She had just been so busy working double, sometimes triple, shifts that she hadn't had the energy to question him.  
>   
> Today had been hell for her. Patients flooded the E.R., suffering from bullet wounds, knife injuries, grenade wounds, and burns. Gang wars had erupted all over the city as tensions between the ABB and E88 reached their limit. People were dying all around her and she couldn't even focus because her husband had chosen today, their anniversary day, to call and tell her that he was sorry. He had then gone into a long statement about something between him and his girlfriend but she didn't pay attention to any of that. He was _sorry._ Susan had a tendency to take personal failures very hard and in her mind, her worst personal failure was her marriage. If only she had done something, maybe, just maybe...her marriage wouldn't have ended. Instead, her husband was admitting guilt and she felt a weight lift off of her...only for it to come crashing down when he spoke about his son.  
>   
> His two year old son. All this time...she had thought that it had been the girl. She finally understood now. He hadn't left because he was seduced by a girl half her age. He had left because he wanted a new family. A new life, away from the two of them.  
> She hung up immediately and spent the rest of the day in a haze. She barely noticed the patients, barely even noticed her coworkers. Hell, she didn't even notice the PRT agents until they were right in front of her nose and said the phrase "It concerns your son". That was all it took. Her baby needed her.  
>   
> As she sat by his side, his heavily bandaged hand in hers, she wondered what would happen now. It didn't matter. She would always be here for him. If he wanted to be a hero, then she would have his back, no matter wh-  
>   
> "...mom?"  
>   
> It was weak. The voice, at least. The hand that gripped hers was unnaturally strong. It hurt, in fact. It hurt a lot. She didn't let that show on her face. Greg was right here in front of her.  
>   
> She needed to be strong for **him**.  
>   
>  Her precious little baby.  
>   
> "Mommy's here, Greggy."
> 
>  

 


	21. Complications 2.4B

Greg awoke to a sharp pain, 'No, not Pain', a sharp discomfort in his right arm and leg as well as a general itchiness all over his body.  
He wasn't in pain but he did feel...weak. He didn't like it. It felt wrong. There were other sensations that he felt. One of them was an odd sensation of heat in his chest, like a rush of warmth similar to the steam of a hot shower as opposed to the stimulating adrenaline-like rush of Zirin. 'What happened?'  
  
He felt a hand in his own and opened his eyes. White walls, fluorescent lights, odd beeping noises. He was in a bed, obviously a hospital bed. He'd seen plenty of them in his life. He appeared to be wrapped head to toe in gauze, but couldn't remember why he would need to be wrapped up like a mummy. Had he gotten hurt? He really didn't know. He definitely didn't feel hurt enough to need this level of bandaging. His head was too groggy to remember much of anything right now.  
  
Greg heard soft breathing noises and turned to his left, ignoring the rather slight discomfort the movement caused. A very familiar woman in a pair of scrubs sat in a chair right beside him holding his hand. Blonde hair much like his own down to her shoulders. Pale blue eyes and a soft, round face greeted him with a warm look in her eyes. The drowsiness cleared up immediately and he remembered. What he had done, who he had fought,...that fucker who knocked him out. 'Fucking Armsmaster. More like Dicksmaster.'  
  
He had done it, though. He had fought Lung. Oh my god, he had fought Lung! What was he thinking? He could have died. He wasn't ready for a fight like that. Hell, he doubted he could take on Oni Lee and he had fought his boss. He didn't even manage to kill the guy, too! Who survives a super strength heel drop from terminal velocity and then getting your eyes gouged out? That was overkill! Simply fighting Lung had proved why he had his reputation. He was a fucking juggernaut! To make matters worse, he had insulted him...in Japanese!  
  
None of that was important right now, though. What was important was the person in front of him.  
  
"...mom?"  
  
'Mom was here? What was she doing here? Honestly, Where is here?' Greg pushed those questions to the side as he squeezed her hand gently.  
She smiled at him even though Greg could tell she was holding back tears.  
  
"Mommy's here, Greggie."  
  
Her voice was soft and kind to his ears, with all the warmth that only a mother could put into every word. Despite that, he couldn't help but wince as he heard it.  
"Greggie? Really, I thought we were past that, mom. I haven't been Greggie since I was eight," Greg croaked out, his voice still weak.  
  
His mom began to cry, despite the smile on her face still as wide as ever. "You'll always be my Greggie."  
  
Greg sat up and patted his mom's hand with his own, trying to calm her down. "It's okay, mom. Everything's fine." Greg glanced around at the room he was in. It didn't seem like any of the rooms at the hospital. "Where are we, anyway?"  
  
There was a pause before the kind look on Susan Veder's face changed, turning into a glare of fury that only a mother could pull off. "Really, Greg? Is that what you think? Do you really think everything's fine when you're in a hospital bed? I saw your injuries. You could have died. Is that what you think counts as fine?"  
  
Greg shook his head, gaping at his mother's uncharacteristic outburst. "No..."  
  
"Of course, the answer is no. No, Gregory, everything is not fine!" hissed Susan, her eyes narrowed. "Everything is not fine because my son is covered in bandages from head to toe." She stood up and threw her hands into the air. "Everything is not fine because my son just fought Lung and almost died. Nothing is fine," Susan paused and leaned into Greg's gauze covered face until her nose was less than inch from touching his, "because my son is a cape who doesn't trust me at all." With that said, she dropped herself into her seat, the tears in her eyes removing most of the heat from her glare.  
  
With a look of bewilderment on his face, Greg mouthed the word 'Gregory' several times before shaking his head. "Mom, look...he was...look, he was going to kill kids. What else would you want me to do?"  
  
The rest of her anger slid off of her face as she processed the question. "You could have the PRT...or the police...or anything. You didn't have to fight him yourself. Why didn't you run away? Look at you...just...look at you. Does it hurt?" More tears began to fall and she held on to his hands tighter.  
  
Greg sighed. 'Shit, she never gets like this.' "No...mom, not really. I feel fine now."  
  
"Thanks to the Protectorate. You were still bleeding when they brought you to the PRT HQ."  
  
"I can heal, Mom. I think I would have been just fine even if they just threw me in a cell. Seriously, Mom. Even if I did run away, would you really be proud if I let some kids get shot when I could have done something?"  
  
Susan sniffled, tears still streaming down her face. "I...I...what kind of question is that? You're my son. Forget about proud. I don't care if you were the biggest coward in the world. I was just so scared when I saw you. I'd want you to be safe...and alive...before anything else."  
  
Greg smiled at his mom's words. "Mom, I've wanted to be a hero for years, you know that. Before I ever cared about Eidolon or anyone else, you showed me comics and those table RPG's. I wanted to be like Superman and Spider-Man and all those guys since I was a kid, and I did that...tonight. I beat up a giant monster and a supervillain. That's just like Superman."  
  
His mom looked at him for a few seconds, a proud smile creeping on her face, before she finally spoke. "You did do a good job but really? You think you're Superman now?  
Listen...You did great, kid. Don't get cocky."  
  
Greg nodded for a few seconds before his eyes widened in realization. "D-did you just..."  
  
His mother nodded, a big smile on her face as she tried to hold in laughter.  
  
"Forget it. Mom, anyway, I'm really sorry I didn't tell you I got powers. I was waiting for the right moment." He paused as she waved away his apology. "Anyway, you shouldn't be scared, Mom. Don't you remember? Fear is the path to the Dark Side," Greg continued, the smile on his face matching his mother's.  
  
Susan laughed for a few seconds before speaking again. "You've been talking about being a hero for years but you're not an adult yet. Honestly, aren't you a little short for a superhero?  
  
Greg smirked. "I doubt it really matters how old I am. I'm pretty sure I'm one of the toughest capes in Brockton right now. Even if I lose, strike me down, and I will become more powerful than they could possibly imagine.”  
  
After Greg finished his sentence, the two couldn't hold it in anymore and started laughing. Greg's ribs ached slightly as he did so but he didn't mind. He missed this. These moments with his mom had been happening less and less ever since his father left and his mother had to work more. He wanted to make his mom happy and being a hero was one of the things he knew that she would love...almost as much as she loved Star Wars, even the Prequels.  
  
Susan's laughter began to slowly die down and she the smile she gave Greg became wistful, almost sad. "You know, your father hated Star Wars. Honestly, he hated almost everything we loved. He thought it was stupid. I was going to name you Lucas Benjamin Veder, you know. Luke Skywalker, Ben Kenobi and Darth Vader all in the same name, heh. Who could pass that up? Your dad decided that he didn't like it and named you after one of his favorite baseball players when he was younger. Greg Luzinski, I think. Yeah, that was it."  
  
Greg looked at his mom oddly, a tinge of anger in his expression. "Why are we talking about him, Mom? You promised we wouldn't talk about him anymore."  
  
She was silent for a bit. When her silence began to reach the minute mark, Greg spoke again, his tone a bit harsh. "Mom?"  
  
"He called me today."  
  
"And you picked up the phone? Why would you do that, mom?" Greg clenched his hands, breaking through the gauze easily and exposing both of his heavily burnt arms and his mangled right hand. "We talked about this. He messes with your head even when he's not here anymore. You're better than him. I told you this already. Don't answer his calls anymore, Mom."  
  
Susan sighed and put her head in her hands. "I know. He hasn't called in a long time but...today...today was our anniversary. I felt a bit down because of how it ended. I just wanted to hear his voice...and then he...he apologized.  
  
Greg sat up even straighter and leaned toward his mother, his eyes wide and mouth slightly open in disbelief. "What."  
  
Greg knew his father. The man was an asshole with a capital ASS. He loved sports; baseball, basketball, football, you name it. He had never cared much about Greg and, honestly, Greg had never really liked his father much either. Rowan Veder was a bit of a workaholic. He loved to work, often staying late. Although, said work usually involved plowing a young, busty and usually blonde secretary of which he had had several. He was charming, Greg did give him that. He usually wormed his way out of situations where he was in the wrong but he never, ever apologized. That would mean he was wrong and Rowan, in his own words, was never wrong.  
  
'This...this makes no sense at all. There's gotta be something else. There has to be. He never apologizes.' Something was up. This made no sense. "Yeah, he's sorry. Right. Like that fixes everything everything he ever did to us. What did he add after that, Mom? Huh? Did he say that maybe if I wasn't such a disappointment, he would have stayed, right? Or maybe if you got the surgery he wanted like his secretaries, he wouldn't have left? Or if you hadn't raised me to be such a nerd, right? Did he add that, huh?" 'Fuckin' dickhead.'  
  
Susan, head still down, only said one word very quietly. "...no."  
  
Greg still couldn't believe it. "Mom, he said he was sorry? Seriously? Are you sure? Him?"  
  
Susan lifted her head for a second and Greg could see the puffy red eyes. She was seriously crying and doing her best to hide it from him. "Yes. He said that he was sorry for cheating on me all those times. He talked about how he should have spent time with us and that he realized he wasn't a good husband to me or a good father to you. "  
  
Greg felt something shift inside him. His fingers twitched and he felt a nervous energy inside himself. He didn't know what to say. His mind was blank and he honestly couldn't decide whether he was angry or...something else. '  
  
"...and then he talked about his new wife and son," Susan added softly.  
  
Greg realized he had decided, after all. He was very angry.  
  
"That fucker!!!" Greg snarled viciously, his teeth bared.  
  
Susan jumped out of her seat and glared at Greg. "That fucker you're talking about is your father."

  
Greg's eye twitched in anger. "No, he's not! That fucker is a walking sperm factory. That's all he does! It's all he's fucking good for! He's probably got tons of kids all over the place!!"  
Susan sighed and Greg noticed that she was still tearing up. That just made him even angrier. 'Why the hell is she crying? She shouldn't be sad. She should be angry at that asshole!'  
  
"Mom, ignore him. Forget about him. No...Fuck him. He was shit to you. Hell, he was shit to both of us and he calls you like an apology's going to fix that. No, I don't think he meant to apologize, Mom. He obviously didn't!" Greg's voice began to rise. "No, he knew how you were when he left. You were broken. He left you like that and he knew you loved him. He didn't give a shit about that!! You are better than him! He can fuck off!"  
  
Susan's eyes widened like saucers as Greg continued to rant. "Greg..."  
  
"Does he know how hard you worked?! You do like three shifts in a day and you're so tired, you fall asleep on the couch! That doesn't matter to him, though. He thinks that's everything's all right because he apologized?"  
  
"Greg?"  
  
"He can fuck his apology. He can fucking shove that apology up his ass. Fuck it! I'll do it for him! That fucking fuck!" Greg's face darkened with anger. Everything he had ever wanted to say about his father just came spilling out and the more he yelled, the more Greg's words became less legible and more like growls from the throat of a beast. He needed to yell, needed to scream out his frustrations at his father for being the way he was and his mother for letting him walk all over her. His head felt like it was splitting open but he didn't care. He needed her to understand. Why wouldn't she listen?  
  
"Greg!!!"  
  
"WHAT?!!....oh"  
  
Greg took in a sharp breath as he looked around the room. Around him stood four heroes that he was very familiar with. In fact, nearly everyone in Brockton was familiar with them. How couldn't they be? They were always on TV for one reason or another.  
  
Assault stood a few feet away from his bed, his guard up. Battery stood right next to him, the lines on the heroine's costume glowing. Miss Militia stood by the wall opposite his mother, a large shotgun-looking weapon aimed directly at Greg. Clockblocker stood outside the room, the door frame blocking most of his body from sight. Assault and Battery attempted to stare down Greg while Miss Militia kept her large shotgun trained on Greg's torso. Greg just stared at the three heroes, one question racing through his mind. He voiced it.  
"What's this all about?" Greg began to wonder if it wasn't just Armsmaster. Maybe everyone in the Protectorate was a dick. He sent a glance toward Miss Militia. 'Who points a gun at a guy in a hospital bed? Fuckers.'  
  
Battery spoke first. "Power down first and then we'll talk." Her voice was crisp and sharp with a harsh undertone, a command rather than a request. Obviously someone with a short temper.  
  
Her reply only confused Greg. "Power down? What are you even talking about? I don't even think I can power up. My powers are always...?" Greg's sentence trailed off as he looked down at his hands.  
  
The bandages had fallen off both his arms at some point, exposing the bare skin that was there. Skin that had a somewhat translucent aura of red energy floating around it. Skin that was now pink and mostly clear of burns. Greg gaped as his anger gave way to curiosity and a bit of awe, eyes as wide as dinner plates at the sight of his two nearly healed arms. Even his mutilated hand looked almost good as new. 'That's way faster than usual.'  
  
"Sweetie, here." Rifling through her purse for a moment, Susan produced a small compact which she thrust into Greg's outstretched hands.  
  
Greg looked at her oddly for a moment as she gestured towards her face until she spoke. "Look at your eyes."  
  
Raising the small mirror to his face, Greg was surprised to see his irises visibly glowing red. Somewhat similar to Evron's eyes from...the night he had given Greg powers. 'God, that's a scary thought. Boss looked real evil then.' As he looked carefully, the red began to fade, returning to his normal pale blue in seconds. 'Huh, that's a thing, too.'  
Closing the compact with a snap, Greg turned to all of the gathered Protectorate members...and Clockblocker.  
"Sorry, I didn't even know I could do that. I wasn't trying to be threatening or anything."  
  
Battery looked at him for a few seconds before turning to Assault. The male cape simply shrugged and gestured towards Miss Militia. Miss Militia, her expression hidden by the flag scarf around her mouth, quickly looked up at the ceiling and shook her head. Greg and his mother both tilted their heads upward to see several small nozzles of some kind retract back into the ceiling until they were no longer visible. She then stepped forward, her large shotgun dissipating into green energy in her hands. As she walked in front of the group of capes and took point, portraying herself as the one in charge, Clockblocker also slyly sauntered up from behind the door frame until he was right next to Assault.  
  
Greg gave the group a somewhat awkward smile, deciding not to mention the fact that they seemed ready to take him down a few seconds ago. "So...what's up?"  
  
Miss Militia eyed Greg intently, as if waiting for him to say something else. When the silence began to drag on again, she spoke. "Mr. Veder...we at the Protectorate have been informed that you defeated Lung this evening." Her voice was slow and calm, as if talking to a dangerous animal. "I'd just like to confirm that with you. Is that alright?"  
  
Greg's smile faded slightly as he glanced at the heroes in front of him. 'What's up with them? They look so...jumpy. Weird.' "Yeah, I did. It was real hard though. He kept getting bigger so quickly. I don't think the fight lasted longer than...I dunno? Five...maybe ten minutes? Guy was tough, you know? He looked a lot different and he grew so fast."  
  
Miss Militia suddenly looked at Greg with much more interest. "Do you have any insight into why Lung's appearance might have changed like that?"  


Greg shrugged again. "Not really, he just changed after this bug controlling cape drowned him in her bugs. Like, literally drowned him. He was choking on bugs. Really gross. He exploded and turned all his men extra crispy."  
  
This bit of news made everyone in the room pay close attention, including his mom. She was a cape geek, after all. Miss Militia stepped in closer until she was at the foot of Greg's bed. "What can you tell us about this new cape? Was she already fighting Lung when you arrived?"  
  
Greg paused for a second. "No...she attacked Lung like a few seconds after I showed up. I think she thought Lung was going to kill me or something. Lung tried to burn her when he found her and I saved her. Then her team showed up...after I already beat Lung." 'That was really annoying. I could have used help. Who shows up after the fight like that?'  
  
"Wait, her team? Who was she working for? Kaiser? Skidmark?" Battery jumped forward with a...battery of questions.  
  
Greg leaned back slightly. "Uh...no. I haven't heard of them. I think they're new heroes. There was...uh...Grue, Arachne, Regent...uh....Bitch! Yeah, that's it. Bitch and...Tattletale. They had big dog monster things too."  
  
"Are you sure that's all you know? Nothing else?" Battery leaned in closer and her voice had a sharper edge to it. Greg might have felt intimidated...if he hadn't just faced off against Lung.  
  
"If I do know anything else, I don't remember," Greg replied smoothly.  
  
Battery visibly slumped as Greg spoke and Assault stepped up, chuckling slightly. "Those aren't heroes, kid. They're a bunch of young small-time villains called The Undersiders. Puppy here got excited because she thought you might have some intel on any new capes the Brockton 3 got, not the kiddie gang you met up with." The male cape laughed a bit more until a peeved Battery elbowed him, interrupting his laughter. Behind the two of them, Clockblocker snorted quietly.  
  
Greg was a bit confused at that. "Villains? But they were pretty nice, though. Arachne even helped me fight Lung and everything." 'That pretty one even helped me up.'  
  
Assault clicked his tongue. "I don't know what to tell you, kid. She was probably trying to save her own ass...OW, Puppy!"  
  
Battery didn't even turn to face him as she elbowed him again. "Language."  
  
Miss Militia restrained the urge to roll her eyes at the married couple's antics. She did let out a small sigh, though. "Mr. Veder, the Protectorate would like to thank you for apprehending Lung. In his new state, he might have been a threat to the entirety of Brockton Bay as a whole."  
  
Greg smiled and opened his mouth to say something when a stray thought crossed his mind.  
  
"Wait! Where's Armsmaster? He shot me with a tranquilizer and he tried to take credit for beating Lung!," Greg said, raising his voice a bit. At his side, his mom raised her eyebrows in surprise.  
  
As Miss Militia, Assault and Battery exchanged odd looks, Clockblocker leaned over slightly. "What."  
  
Greg nodded confidently. "Yeah, he tried to take credit for Lung and then when I called him on it, he shot me!"  
  
Susan looked shocked. "He shot you?!"  
  
Greg nodded.  
  
Susan turned to the adult heroes. "Armsmaster shot my son?!"  
  
Miss Militia raised her hands up. "Ms. Veder, I assure you that whatever methods Armsmaster used, he only used them because he believed that, in that current situation, they were the most effective and beneficial."  
  
"How is Armsmaster shooting my son 'beneficial'?!"  
  
Clockblocker snorted at that last statement and let out a chuckle, then another and another and another until he was nearly doubled over with laughter. As everyone in the room turned to look at the young Ward that was doing a remarkable impression of a hyena, Clockblocker slowed his laughter, but by no means did he stop. "What? Come on, you guys know Armsmaster would do that if it was for 'Efficiency'. I mean, just imagine it." Clockblocker puffed out his chest, stood up straight and tried to make his voice deeper, which still wasn't that deep but he tried. "Hmm, Lung's down and that guy over there looks pretty beat up. I'll tranq both of them and figure it out later. Efficient! Hmm, I brought Lung in. Technically, that means I defeated him. Efficient! Hmm, take a shower or pee? Why not both? Efficient!" With that, he lost himself in laughter again. "Come on, it makes sense, kinda."  
  
Assault started to snort and snicker until he was chuckling right besides Clockblocker. That is, until Battery slammed an elbow into his ribcage. "Ouch...Come on, it's funny. Kid's got a point."  
  
The two male heroes laughter slowly died away as both Battery and Miss Militia shot them glares simultaneously.  
  
Greg frowned. "Look, all I really want from Armsmaster is an apology. As long as he says he's sorry, we're cool."  
  
Clockblocker snorted again and Assault's lip began to quiver. Miss Militia flinched and Battery made an odd noise that sounded like a strangled gasp. "...Well," began Miss Militia, "in response to any actions Armsmaster might have taken in that situation, he most likely tried to follow protocol and-"  
  
"Since when is it Protectorate protocol to shoot first and ask questions later?", Susan Veder questioned.  
  
Miss Militia winced again. "I understand how you might both feel about this situation. Ms. Veder, Mr. Veder, I promise that I will bring this matter to the Director personally. If she feels that Armsmaster was in the wrong, she will make attempts to rectify the issue and Armsmaster will give you a personal apology." In the background, Clockblocker let out another small chuckle.  
  
A simple shrug was Greg's response. " I guess that's cool. Mom?" At his side, his mother nodded calmly.  
  
Miss Militia sighed at Greg's response, seeming relieved. "Well, there is one more thing we'd like to talk to you about, Mr. Veder, and you as well, Ms. Veder."  
  
Greg sat up in his bed. "What?"  
  
"On behalf of the Protectorate East North East, the four of us would like to formally invite you to join the Wards. Young parahumans are-"  
  
"Wait just one minute!", his mother interjected, a small frown on her face. "He just fought Lung! Do you know how badly he's injured? He's burnt all over, suffered several torn muscles and ligaments and the bones in his right leg are shattered. He's in no condition to do anything, let alone join-" "Uh, Mom?" "Huh?" Susan paused her tirade to look over at her son, who had taken the liberty to unwrap the bandages on his torso and face. Despite some patches of bruising and burnt scar tissue, Greg's chest was mostly healed. His hair had still suffered greatly as the sides were gone, leaving him with a rough Mohawk. "Yeah, Mom, I'm pretty good, actually. My leg's still wrecked, yeah, and I feel kinda banged up but nothing that'll kill me."  
  
"Don't even worry about that, man," Clockblocker replied, "I heard Panacea's heading down here to give you a hand. She helps out the Protectorate like that all the time. Besides, the Wards are real cool with her and Glory Girl. Sometimes, Glory Girl helps us out on patrols. I bet you two would be friends. You're both blonde Alexandria Packages. We could all hang out after kicking some criminal butt."  
  
Greg smirked. "That does sound kind of cool."  
  
"Yes, the Wards do have a lot of fun," Miss Militia added. As she continued, her tone changed, the lightheartedness disappearing to be replaced by seriousness. "Besides that, Mr. Veder, there is something more urgent that we need to address with you and your mother. Due to your unfortunate outing at Winslow, it is likely that every major gang in the city is currently aware of your parahuman status. You and your mother could be in danger of being attacked by the ABB or being forced into the Merchants. With your...appearance being something that Kaiser would approve of greatly, there is no doubt that Kaiser will make every attempt to force you into the Empire. The Protectorate would like to help you and your mother avoid this from happening."  
  
"If I join you, right?" Greg replied, his eyebrow raised.  
  
Assault chuckled a bit, a smile visible beneath his visor. "Well, yeah. I mean, look at it from our side. For all we know, you could be a wanna-be villain. We'd love to help, kid, but the Protectorate is a government agency. You have to work with us if you want our help. I mean, if we help you out, and then you start doing stuff that isn't on the level, it's gonna be our fault for helping you. It's life, man."  
  
Miss Militia sighed. "While I wouldn't have phrased it quite like that, Assault is right. We need you working us with you for us to help you. It's also a matter of resources. If you're not part of the Wards, and we're helping you, then that's resources that can't go to the person that actually wants to join."  
  
His mom patted his shoulder and he turned to face her. "What do you think, Mom?"  
  
Susan gave him a small smile. "Well...you've always wanted to be a hero and...I really think the Wards could help you out. On the other hand, the gangs might already know who you are. So they could still find us either way but the PRT could help us with protection. I think it's up to you."  
  
'The gangs know who I am. That's true. I could join the Protectorate but I could also join New Wave. My whole thing fits their theme...but the Boss did say we would be a team...but what about Mom? Could he...maybe?'  
  
"Honey?"  
  
"Mr.Veder?," Miss Militia questioned.  
  
Greg paused as he came to a decision. "I honestly think that-" Greg halted his sentence as someone opened the door to the room.  
  
"Excuse me, they told me that my patient was in this room...Am I interrupting something?"  
  
A white robe with a red cross emblazoned on the front, brown hair, freckles and a white scarf hanging around her neck. 'Panacea.'  
  
Miss Militia nodded in greeting. Battery sent a smile at the young healer. Assault waved at her, a big smile on his face.  
  
Clockblocker waved as well, albeit lazily. "Hey, Amy."  
  
"Clockblocker," she replied slowly. "Vicky said she's still gonna punch you for last time."  
  
"What? She's still mad about that. Why? It was just a joke," Clockblocker said in a slightly panicky tone.  
  
"Freezing her? Maybe. Freezing her and stealing her fries? No." Turning to face Greg, she gave him a tired smile. "Hi there, I'm Panacea. Do I have your permission to heal you?"  
  
"Go ahead," answered his mom.  
  
Greg simply stared at her. This was Panacea. She was THE healer. The best that anyone, anywhere, could hope for. She handled cancer, missing limbs, incurable diseases! And she was here for him. 'Awesome...'  
  
"...Excuse me!"  
  
Greg snapped out of his thoughts. "Huh?"  
  
She sent him what could have been a glare if she put some actual anger into it, instead of just exasperation. "I said, do I have your permission to heal you? Since you're awake and in your right mind, _hopefully,_ I need your permission and not your mother's to heal you."  
  
Greg nodded hurriedly. "Yeah, sure. Go ahead."  
  
She reached a hand outward and touched Greg's arm....and frowned. "Huh..."  
  
"What?," asked Greg. His mother tilted her head, staring at Panacea while she healed her son.  
  
Panacea scrunched up her face. "I'm not getting...anything from you...," Panacea replied, her hand still on Greg's arm.  
  
"You mean you can't heal him?" Battery asked. Clockblocker tilted his head. "Amy, you really can't heal him?"  
  
"No...well, yes but...he feels...fuzzy, I guess. I can't get a clear picture of his insides. Wait...," Panacea's eyes widened as she paused.  
  
"What? What is it?" spoke Greg and his mother almost in unison.  
  
Miss Militia stepped towards Panacea, a concerned look in her eyes. "Panacea, is there something wrong?"  
  
Panacea turned and gave Miss Militia a tired smile that seemed off, somehow. "No, I'm fine. I think I was just tired. I can handle his injuries now." As she said it, Greg saw the small portions of scar tissue on his chest and arms disappear and felt the damaged muscles reknitting themselves. As the bones in his right leg shifted back into place, the torn skin came back together and the last of the discomfort faded away, Greg sighed in relief.  
  
"Wow...thanks. I feel a lot better," Greg said with a grin at the frizzy haired girl.  
  
Panacea returned his smile and yawned. "No problem. It only took a few minutes."  
  
Greg shook his head. "No, seriously. Thank you. You didn't have to come help me. I owe you one." By his side, his mother nodded, smiling at Panacea.  
  
"It's just what I do. Nice to meet you." She smiled at the two of them and nodded at the four Protectorate heroes before leaving the room.  
  
Sitting up, Greg turned toward the four heroes still waiting for his answer.  
  
"I was thinking about what I wanted to do and at first I was about to join the Wards, cause I mean, who wouldn't want to be part of a hero team, right? But then I thought about it and I realized that I can't just decide on the spot like this. Miss Militia, do you mind if I think about the offer for a bit? I don't want to rush into anything, you know," Greg said, the smile on his face somewhat nervous.  
  
Miss Militia nodded slowly. "That's completely fine, Mr. Veder. The offer still stands. Just give us a call at the local Protectorate number."  
  
"1-800-PROTECT!," interjected Clockblocker.  
  
"Thank you, Clockblocker. Put in my extension, MIL, and it'll connect you right to me. Anyway, if you're intending to leave now, there should be some clothes under your bed. We stock them for situations like this."  
  
The four of them began to walk out until Clockblocker suddenly whipped around. "Wait! Do you have a cape name yet? Cause I'm pretty sure they're planning on giving you one and it's probably gonna suck. That's why I made mine up. It's the best name, isn't it?"  
  
Assault snorted. "The best? Really?"  
  
Clockblocker looked up at the only adult male in the room. "Instant brand recognition. Who's gonna forget a name like Clockblocker?," he replied smugly, arms crossed.  
  
Assault opened his mouth and closed it quickly. "Point." Behind the both of them, Battery groaned.  
  
"Uh...I already have a name," Greg replied, "Superior."  
  
"Are you sure that name hasn't already been taken?," Miss Militia asked curiously.  
  
Greg let out a slow breath. "Well...It used to belong to a villain down in Texas but...he died so...yeah, it's mine now."  
  
"Well, I think you should change it. Taking a villain's name doesn't exactly scream Hero," Battery replied. "In fact, it gives off the opposite impression. It also sounds really arrogant Besides, what are people in Brockton Bay going to to think of a blond blue eyed hero with a name like Superior with the Empire running around?"  
  
Greg shrugged. "Look, I doubt anyone's gonna care about me using the name of a villain from Texas that nobody remembers. If they do, then that's stupid. Besides, Superior doesn't sound that much more arrogant than Glory Girl and I'm pretty sure that when they see me fighting Nazis, nobody's gonna think I'm one of them. Look, it took me a while to find this name, a good one that someone wasn't already using. I'm not gonna give it up."  
  
Battery scowled and Assault smirked. "Well, you'll make a good hero, kid. You've definitely got the balls...OW! Come on, it was a compliment."  
  
Miss Militia's eyes crinkled in amusement. "Well, thank you, Superior. We hope that you'll make the decision to join the Wards. We'd be glad to have you. Thank you, Ms. Veder, for deciding to support your son's decisions. Many parents act as if their children never changed at all. We'll be leaving now. "  
  
When the door closed and the heroes were gone, Greg turned to his mother to say something but froze as he realized something that filled him with dread.  
  
His mom was not oblivious to the look of horror on her son's face and she reacted accordingly. "Greg. what is it? What's wrong? Did Panacea mess up? Are you hurt? What is it?"  
  
Greg's hands patted his head, feeling the ragged Mohawk that served as the remnants of his once glorious mane.  
  
"I forgot to ask her if she could fix my hair!," Greg cried out.  
  
Susan Veder nearly cracked a rib during the ensuing fit of uncontrollable laughter.  
  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Nearly Thirty Minutes Later  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"So, you're telling me this 'Superior' has a Master rating as well?" Emily Piggot questioned gruffly.  
  
Miss Militia nodded firmly. "That is correct, Director. It caused me to feel intimidated and nervous and I felt oddly...trigger happy. I ended up making a weapon that I've never used before. A CZ550 with an elephant gun cartridge."  
  
"Battery, did you notice the same effect as Miss Militia?" Piggot asked, purposely ignoring Assault. She did not need his verbal report as it was usually interspersed with stupid jokes and puns.  
  
"Yes, Director Piggot," Battery replied firmly. "When we arrived in his room, he was visibly angry. All of us felt extremely tense and intimidated. Miss Militia immediately materialized an...elephant gun. Clockblocker was outright terrified. He responded by hiding behind the door frame. When we entered the room, I instructed him to power down. He was confused at first but once he realized his actions, the effect dissipated but did not fully disappear until his eyes stopped glowing red. We also determined that his healing factor accelerated during that period."  
  
Clockblocker cleared his throat rather loudly before he put in his own two cents. "Um, I'd just like to add that I wasn't terrified. I heard this guy had almost killed Lung 2.0 and I was just-"  
  
Piggot had heard enough. "Clockblocker!",she said, almost snarling. God, she hated that name! It was annoying having to say it, almost as annoying as having to deal with the owner of said name.  
  
He got the message. "Shutting up now."  
  
"So he's similar to Aegis and Glory Girl in abilities. Interesting," she said to no one in particular.  
  
"Um...I think there's something else you should know about him," spoke a small, tired voice.  
  
Director Piggot sat at her desk, arms folded in front of her, as she stared at the five heroes in front of her. Four of them were here because she had called them in order to debrief them about the new parahuman they had recently spoken to. The fifth had shown up requesting to speak with her and Piggot would prefer not to have Panacea upset with the Protectorate for whatever reason, so she had obliged the small request.  
  
"Panacea, was there something you noticed?"  
  
The robed girl nodded. "Just before I healed him, I was able to get information about his biology."  
  
"And?" Piggot didn't have the patience to pull information out. She needed to know anything relevant now.  
  
"He's not a parahuman."  
  
She was not regretting that decision.  
  
Piggot tilted his head curiously. "I'm sorry? Did you say that he's not a parahuman? We have several reports of him displaying abilities."  
  
Panacea shrugged. "I can scan brains. I can't affect them but I can scan them. I know what a Corona Pollentia and a Gemma feel like. They may be different in every parahuman but they give off the same feeling. His brain was different, yes. It was more...organized, faster, I guess, than a normal person's. His motor system was amazing, really. But everything else was much worse. His amygdala and emotional processing was so screwed up that when the slightest bit of epinephrine, adrenaline, enters his system, his fear and pain reactions are just gone and his anger. His hypothalamus barely regulated his anger. He has no control over it...at all. Extreme, murderous anger. He's also really prone to addiction and impulsiveness. All of that and he had no Corona or Gemma."  
  
Panacea continued to speak, breathing heavily and talking faster with every word. "I mean, his body was like Aegis but more limited. More like a regular human on the inside. But he had a bunch of organs that...that...it....I couldn't even understand why they were there. His bones and muscles were denser than someone his size should be by more than half but they were all much stronger than they should be. So much stronger and they were working with me when I was healing him. I rarely heal capes with healing factors but I have to make their body follow my instructions. I was healing him and his healing was copying me. Some of what his body was made of. They weren't normal...I don't even know what they were made of. It's crazy. His strength, his speed, his stamina, his durability, hearing, vision, smell. His skin was...perfect. Like dirt barely stuck to it. Everything about him was not normal and his body structure was impossible. He's not a parahuman but he has powers and nothing about him was right. That's not even getting into his DNA. His DNA was...half of it wasn't human, like at all. It was so complex, like an octuple helix. And five percent of it made no sense. I would say that he's the final stage of human evolution but he's not even human...at least not anymore. He was...he was almost...no...he was." A gleeful smile crossed her face, as if she had finally understood something. "It makes sense now. Of course, no wonder. Oh God." The smile disappeared to be replaced by shock.  
  
Clockblocker patted the girl on the shoulder. "Hey, Amy, are you all right? I mean, his body seems off but capes have weird bodies sometimes. I mean, look at Aegis."  
  
Panacea took a deep breath to prevent her voice from shaking. "You guys don't get it at all. He was designed. Someone **made** him! He's like the perfect inhuman soldier. No pain, no fear, a healing factor, super strong and fast. Some of it makes no sense, like the weakness to addiction and the impulsiveness but I guess the anger makes some sense. Anger like that could make it easy to kill someone. Someone had to have created him...that or they modified him but I don't know how you modify someone like that without killing them."  
  
Everyone sat there in silence just processing the bombshell the girl had just dropped on all of them.  
  
Piggot was stone-faced as she took in what Panacea said. The thought that someone could create a parahuman of that level had nearly given her flashbacks. Someone was out there with the ability to turn people into capes with the power to take down Lung. This was...this was almost worse than Nilbog. Almost.  
  
"Thank you, Ms. Dallon, for your information. Assault, Battery, please escort her home. Miss Militia, please contact Armsmaster for me. He appears to have locked himself in his lab. Inform him that I wish to speak to him and tell him to contact Dragon." As everyone else left her office, she realized that one more person was still in the room. "Clockblocker...go do something."  
  
"Yes, sir, ma'am!" he responded, running out of her office.  
  
Piggot didn't respond to his childish attempt at humor. The boy didn't understand how serious this was. If he did, she might have had some minuscule level of respect for him. She was focused on more important...more critical matters. There was someone in this city with the power to do what she feared most and they weren't behind a wall, at peace with their own small, monstrous kingdom. They were free to roam within her city, doing whatever they felt like and creating...super-soldiers. Whoever this new player was, they had to be stopped at all costs...before her city paid the price.


	22. Complications 2.5A

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I recommend that you read over the Information on Titanwatch or skim the Glossary or some parts might be confusing.

"....Greg..."  
  
"...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...."  
  
"...Hey, buddy..."  
  
"...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..."  
  
"Come on, Greg..."  
  
"...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..."  
  
"Wake up, man...it's me..."  
  
"...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..."  
  
"Greg! Wake up!"  
  
"...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...."  
  
"...Fine, have it your way. **GREG!!!"  
**  
"AHHH!!" Greg Veder jolted awake and rolled out of his warm, comfortable bed, his comforter wrapping around his body like a hastily prepared burrito. Breathing heavily from the sudden shock, Greg looked up to see the grinning face of one Evron Grey, his white hair a dead giveaway. "Oh...you, what...what time is it?" Greg said with a yawn. 'What does he want now?'  
  
"Yeah, me. It's twelve in the morning. Your mom left like five hours ago for work. You really should tell her about me, you know. Nice hairdo, by the way. Anyway, you're still in bed. What's up with that?" Evron questioned, still grinning.  
  
"Mom said it'd be a good idea for me to lay low for a bit. So, no school, no going out to hero. I didn't mind. And no, we're not telling her until you actually go out in public and show people who you are. And shut up about my hair," Greg said with a scowl, using his one free hand to touch the rough Mohawk he now had in place of his once golden mane. He looked like a punk rocker and he hated it. "Why'd you wake me up, anyway?"  
  
"I just want to talk to my buddy. I heard you got into a bit of a scuffle last night. Wanna tell Big Bro Ev all about it?"  
  
Greg glared at Evron as he took steps to carefully extricate himself from the cloth based cocoon that he was currently bundled in without ripping the cloth. As he finally got himself free, he stood up. "First of all, it was not a scuffle, okay. It was a fight for my life."  
  
Evron shrugged as he zipped up his sleeveless blue and black hoodie. "Call it what you will, a tussle, fight, struggle, brawl, skirmish, fracas, rumpus, melee, donnybrook, whatever. Just tell me what happened. I want to hear it from you."  
  
Greg sighed. "Well, I met Lung and he tried to kill me. He stabbed me...through your bulletproof costume. I healed up then this bug controlling girl tries to help me out by shoving bugs down his throat. He tries to kill her. I save her with a force field...cause I can make those. Did you know that I could make those? Cause I didn't. Anyway, he's huge at this point with like spikes and shit. Guy burns me really badly, destroys the costume you made me, and then I used a finishing move on him. I jumped really high and I did a heel kick on him at terminal velocity. His skull split open, my leg shattered and then I stabbed him...in the eyes."  
  
As Greg finished his story, Evron stared at him with a wide grin on his face. "Yeah, I know the costume was bulletproof but it was kinda a rush job and I'm pretty sure Lung's got a bit more power behind him than bullets. I didn't expect it to get destroyed, though. Weird... Honestly, though, wow...you did great for your first night out. All I did on my first night was get beat up by a small-time gang. Someone had to bail me out. One thing though, I wouldn't recommend escalating to killing this early in your career. Stabbing someone in the eyes tends to lead to death. Just a tip."  
  
Greg frowned. "Uh, thanks for the tip. I'll make sure not to gouge out anymore eyes," Greg replied sarcastically before a curious expression appeared on his face.  
"I gotta ask you something, though. Last night, things were really weird. I was doing math in my head and thinking a lot, zoning out from the fight. I wasn't scared at all and I was really into fighting Lung. I was trying to make him angrier so he could get bigger. I was...just...fighting like a crazy person. I was laughing, man, and after the fight, when I was at the Protectorate Base, I was so angry that my head hurt. What's that about?"  
  
Evron opened his mouth and closed it as he stared at Greg with a strangely serious look on his face. "I never explained that to you? At all? The day I gave you powers?"  
  
Greg shook his head. "No, you were busy trying to keep me from jumping around like a squirrel on crack."  
  
"Yeah, you were really hyperactive that first day," Evron said with a bit of a smile. "That's normal, though. Okay...um...to explain the weirdness in your thoughts, well, first, your brain is still thinking at a much faster rate than the rest of your body can react to. For the anger and everything else, let me...shit...I have to do this whole thing. Sia, bring up the Kor default video. Projector one."  
  
Evron removed a small disk from his silver armband that was roughly the size of a quarter and tossed it on the ground. A second later, it beeped and a holographic image of a tall, muscled, blonde man with red eyes wearing nothing but underwear appeared from the device. Every few seconds, it would cycle between him running, leaping and throwing a tank like it was was weightless, all in his underwear. "First things first, I told you that you were an Evolved, right? Did I ever explain what that means?"  
  
Greg stared at the looping video, imagining him in place of the blonde in the footage. It wasn't that hard. They were both wearing roughly the same amount of clothing. "...Yeah, you told me that an Evolved is a type of metahuman. A metahuman is a normal human that develops a power-set that best fits their mindset or need at the time," Greg recited.  
  
Evron shook his head from side to side slightly. "Yes...and...no. An Evolved is a metahuman, yes. A created metahuman. A meta that I create. Evolved are made from a mix of Royal Kheran DNA, which is what this half-naked blonde is, metahuman DNA and a little something extra. All of that is found in my bloodstream."  
  
Greg made a confused face at Evron. "So, what's a Royal Kheran? A type of cape from your universe?"  
  
Evron clicked his tongue. "No...Kherans or Khorathians, if you want to get technical, are aliens. Former planet conquering, genocidal aliens. Royal Kherans are a ruling class above Noble Kherans and regular ones. They're like regular Kherans but stronger, faster, better...really. They also have a habit of being bloodthirsty, battle crazy, dominant and very, very angry."  
  
Greg gaped and took a few steps backward from the image. "And you turned me into one of them?!!!"  
  
Evron stepped forward, arms raised. "Greg, I didn't turn you into one of them. You're only half Kheran. The rest of you is human...mostly."  
  
Greg scowled at Evron and glared at him furiously. "Oh, that's so much better. I'm so relieved that I'm only half of a crazy alien," he replied, the sarcasm dripping. "If they're so alien, why do they look...so...so...normal?"  
  
"Well, no one really knows. Blame whatever. Anyway, Kherans were cavemen type aliens who were pretty much abducted by a higher species called the N'uovo. After some generations of genetic alteration, the original Kheran was made, looking a lot like eight feet tall, massively built bodybuilders to be the perfect working class. Brown hair, brown eyes, strong, semi-stupid, and loyal, like giant dogs really."  
  
"But he doesn't look like that. He looks-"  
  
"I'm getting there. Anyway, after working for these guys for however many centuries, a mutant was born. His name was Khorath and he was different from the others. Smarter, stronger, faster and much less docile. He and his family and several hundred of their species were working on a cargo ship when he was insulted and struck by one of the N'uovo they were sold to. It didn't hurt him but it did make him angry. Apparently, the N'uovo didn't realize that their alterations were a bit too effective. They knew how strong their slaves were but they never realized how durable they were or how pain didn't really bother them when they went berserk. Either that or they figured they made them docile and stupid enough. They weren't. In short, Khorath lead his people on a massacre of every single N'uovo on the cargo ship and none of the N'uovo weapons were strong enough to kill them. Hurt them, yeah, but not put them down for good. Then Khorath and his people realized they didn't know how to pilot a ship and crash-landed on a giant planet that was basically filled with giant killer animals."  
  
"I don't see how this-"  
  
"Greg, do me a favor and shut up for five minutes. Okay?"  
  
Greg scowled. "I didn't ask for a history lesson, though. I just wanted to know-"  
  
"I'm getting there! Are you the type of guy who watches the last ten minutes of a movie first? Come on, man," Evron replied, obviously exasperated by the interruption.  
  
"Where was I? Anyway, most of the slaves died in the crash and to the killer animals and in about ten years, only four hundred and fifty of them were left, most of them women and children because the men went out hunting. Anyway, Khorath and a group of about one hundred men came in contact with a basically omnipotent being...no...asshole...let's call him an asshole, inside of a cave pool. This omnipotent asshole was just chilling there as a giant glowing white crystal for who knows how long. It was the reason that the planet was so hellish and death-worldy with all of it's megafauna. When Khorath and his men drank from the glowing water in the cave pool, almost half of them died after a few hours.  
  
"Only Khorath and fifty-five other men survived whatever the water did to them. They were stronger, faster, smarter, tougher and their hair and eye color had changed. Khorath had gained red eyes and blond hair and while he had previously been ten times as strong as any of them, that strength had increased proportionally. They headed back home and brought the women and children to the pool and did the same. Many died. Others survived and were changed for the better. They ended up worshiping the omnipotent asshole," Evron said with a scowl.  
  
"Anyway, after hundreds of years, they had found their way back to the N'uovo homeworld somehow, committed genocide, rescued their people, and took all the tech the N'uovo had. They ended up doing this to almost every known species in their galaxy out of fear of being enslaved again, learning how to externalize the energy inside of them into blasts and improving their inhuman abilities by leaps and bounds until they were essentially godlike. Khorath died after 400 years of ruling, killed by his son, Kheran, in a spar. After hundreds of thousands of years of conquering systems and genocide on those who continued fighting, they mellowed out and created a galactic government, letting every species who wanted to leave the Kheran Empire leave.  
  
"The modern Royal Kheran looks like this guy here," Evron continued, gesturing to the hologram, "red eyes and blond hair with some variations in skin tone. Kherans, despite their new mellowness, are still a species that prides dominance and power and hate weak wills. Kherans love to fight. It's in every part of their culture. Exercise, marriage, friendship, dating. It's ingrained into their system like the idea of love is in human culture. The only Kherans that don't fight are the Monks and it'd be scary as fuck if they did," Evron continued, chuckling softly.  
  
Look, every Kheran has an ability called Bloodrage, where they lose themselves in rage and get stronger, faster and heal much quicker at a cost of their higher brain function, the fight being the only thing that matters. That's probably what you experienced the night before. We have to get that under control soon, okay. The average Kheran male runs about five hundred miles an hour and can lift up to five hundred tons. Right now, your speed is half that and your strength is barely five percent of that. That's going to change and it's going to change quickly. It's scary enough when someone who can dead lift five hundred tons loses it like that, okay? You have royal Kheran blood, man. I have that same blood. Two and a half million tons is the average Royal Kheran adult, Greg...with no training. Imagine someone capable of that losing their shit. Royal Kherans are gods to their people for a reason."  
  
Greg gulped and backed away, his breathing becoming fast. "You're joking, right? Please be joking. Seriously, I need you to be joking."  
  
Evron shook his head slowly.  
  
"Why? Why would you? I didn't want this. I never wanted this. This is...this is too much. I can't...I can't breathe. I can't breathe...," Greg wheezed, staring at his own two hands.  
  
Evron walked forward and put an arm on Greg's shoulder. "Greg, look, I gave boosts almost like yours to almost all my friends," Evron began calmly, his voice soft and placating. "The difference is that you didn't already have powers so I had to up the ante a bit. The Kherans were a bit off but they were also masters at controlling their emotions. You'll be fine. Mine was a good deal worse. All you need is some meditation, relaxation and emotional-"  
  
"No!!!" Greg screamed, pushing Evron back. "...what...what...what....What the fuck were you thinking?!!! You can't just drop that kind of power on me!!!," Greg snarled, his eyes glowing red and spit flying as he screamed. "Okay, Greg, here, you want powers, right? Here's a shit load of them! Don't worry, nothing's wrong with them. Oh, they feel kinda weak, huh? Don't worry, you'll get stronger and STRONGER AND STRONGER CAUSE YOU'RE NOT HUMAN ANYMORE!!! YOU'RE A FUCKING ALIEN NOW, GREG!!! AN ALIEN AND A SUPERHERO!!! A FUCKING ALIEN SUPERHERO WITH SPACE NAZI DNA!!! DON'T WORRY, YOU'LL MELLOW OUT!!! FUCK YOU!!! FUCK YOU AND YOUR FUCKING POWERS AND YOUR FUCKING FUTURE SHIT!!!"  
  
Evron didn't say anything. He stood there, letting Greg get all his frustrations out.  
After Greg had finished, he only had one thing to say. He didn't raise his voice. He didn't smile. The expression on his face could only be described as cold.  
He simply stared Greg's blazing red eyes down with his cool blue ones. "Do you want me to take them away?," he said in a voice that was barely more than a whisper.  
  
Greg heard it just as well as if Evron had shouted at the top of his voice.  
  
A look of fear appeared on his face unbidden and he shuffled backwards until the wall prevented him from going any further. "No...no...please. Don't take them, please. I'm sorry, I'm really, really sorry. I didn't mean it, really. Don't...please...," Greg said, just barely preventing his voice from wavering.  
  
'He...he can do that? Can he really take them back?'  
  
Evron stepped closer and Greg flinched as he stood nose to nose with him, Evron's cold eyes staring into his own. "Are you saying that because you're actually sorry or do you just not want me to remove your powers? Be honest."  
  
'My powers...can't lose my powers..can't lose them...can't lose them.' Greg stared into Evron's eyes and swallowed deeply. "I...don't want to lose my powers."  
  
Evron stepped back, a small smile on his face. "And why is that, Greg? You were just so angry about having them but now you're begging me not to take them away. Why is that, you think?"  
  
Greg looked at his feet, back still against the wall. "I don't know,"he mumbled softly.  
  
"I know you didn't mean to say what you did. It was the Rage. I also know why you were freaking out, Greg," his smile became a wide grin, showing off his rather sharp teeth. "Regular humans live weak, frail lives. They are never free from pain, tiredness or general weakness. Sickness, agony, fear. That's how they know that they're alive. You know what it's like to be free from that. For the past month, that weakness has been leaving your body, allowing you to reach greater heights. Last night, you were alive...truly alive. You expressed your power and defeated a powerful enemy like an ancient hero. Perseus, Hercules, Samson. You stood where they stood. You felt that power rushing through your veins. Losing that would be torture, right?"  
  
Greg, enraptured by his words, nodded slowly.  
  
"I've gone through the exact same thing, Greg, but it was much worse for me. I lost myself to my anger, to all my emotions. That's what Bloodrage does to you when you don't control it. I was a terror...and then I lost my powers. I had powers since I was...five and then...they were gone. I didn't know what to do. Because of that, I acted out. I pushed away my friends, my family, my girl. I did some bad things, Greg. I was lost. Nobody had ever lost their powers before. I didn't have anyone else to help me through it because they didn't know what I was going through. The weakness I felt. You know that weakness. You were pushed around because you were weak. All of them pushed you around, the popular kids, the bullies, the gangs..."  
  
"My dad...," Greg said softly.  
  
Evron gave him an odd glance at that. "...yeah...your dad. They thought you were weak. They thought you were pathetic. There are people who don't think that. You have your mom, Greg and...and...Sparky, yeah. You also have me, Greg. Don't forget that. I'm not gonna hold your hand but I will always be there when you need my help. You remember what I promised you that night I gave you these powers. You're gonna fix this world and I want to help you. These emotions you feel, I feel them too, Greg, but control is very important to being a real hero. In fact, it's rule number one when it comes to strength like ours and part of strength is about learning to control yourself. I need you to trust me, Greg. Do you trust me?"  
  
Greg looked up, tears in his glowing red eyes. "Yeah, I do." 'I really do.' "Thanks, boss."  
  
Evron grinned even wider, his unnaturally sharp, white teeth gleaming. "No problem. Now, let's talk about your powers. You had some more questions for me, right?"


	23. Greg joins the wards or In which shadow stalker hates Greg's training montage. (Non-Canon)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Created By X-777TheReQUium«»Tm

"Uhh...Hi, I'm Superior. It's nice to meet you," said Greg as he looked around at the his fellow wards, his golden and white costume gleaming. He had decided that if he was going to join the Wards, he was going to make the best first impression possible. The boss had even made him a brand new costume, actually designed for someone of his weight class. It was a more impressive version of his old one. Despite his new outfit, he was still a little nervous as he was a bit unsure of how to act around them. They had been heroes for years and he was just a rookie. A rookie that had taken down Lung, but still...one night of fighting does not a hero make.  
  
"Hey, Superior, its nice to meet you, I'm Vista," said the blonde and bubbly young heroine. "You've already met Clockblocker," she continued, pointing towards a boy in a white, clock themed, armored costume. "And that's Shadow Stalker," she said with a voice tinged with a hint of distaste as she pointed to a dark skinned girl in a black costume cleaning a crossbow. "Gallant, Kid Win and Aegis are out right now. You can meet them when they get back from patrol."  
  
Shadow Stalker walked over, her steps determined and her posture dripping with arrogance. Despite her somewhat aggressive bearing, she seemed to be studying Greg as she gave him a quick once-over. "So, Baldy, heard you're the guy who beat Lung."  
  
Greg chuckled nervously and raised a hand upwards, scratching his bald head. Evron had recommended he shave his scalp clean in order for his hair to grow back even. "Well, yeah...I beat him." Greg knew he didn't look impressive compared to Gallant or Aegis with their big muscles but he was still pretty tough. At least, he hoped he looked tough.  
  
"Hmm...He must not have been as tough as they say. Heh...someone like you, you don't have any guts. I bet I could take you," Stalker replied with a sneer.  
  
Greg smirked, his eyes flashing from blue to red and back again in an instant. "Really, you think so?"  
  
You could almost see the cocky smirk behind Shadow Stalker's mask. "I know so."  
  
"Let's have a little fight. A spar to see who's really tougher. I am a Brute, you know," Greg replied.  
  
"And? I've taken down Brutes. You can ask Aegis," she replied confidently. " If you really want to spar, let's go down to the training room and I can show you exactly what I'm talking about." She walked out of the room, closely followed by an eager Greg.  
  
Greg was actually anticipating a good fight from all the hype she was spouting. He hoped she wouldn't disappoint him.  
  
Clockblocker and Vista glanced at each other and hurried after the two fight-crazy capes.  
  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Shadow Stalker and Greg stood a few meters apart in a room that looked like it was designed to take damage. The ground was covered with some type of rubbery foam material and whatever the walls were made of, they looked durable. Clockblocker and Vista stood several meters away, close enough to see everything but still giving the two capes plenty of room to tear into each other. Greg had his arms at his sides, completely relaxed and waiting for the fight to begin while Shadow Stalker was the opposite. Equipped with weighted batons designed to deliver an electrical shock upon contact, she was ready and on her guard. Although it wasn't unexpected. One of them was a Brute and the other wasn't.  
  
"Okay, Vista, is the camera ready?," Clockblocker asked. The young girl nodded, holding up a small video camera to catch the footage.  
  
"You two ready?," he asked, this time directing the question to the two fighters.  
  
"Yes," the two replied simultaneously.  
  
Clockblocker cleared his throat dramatically. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am the great Clockblocker, Master of Time, and I will be your referee in today's Clash Of The Capes. Today's match is between up and coming rookie, Superior, who took down Lung on his very first night out. A legend in the making, He just might be the Brutiest Brute Brockton Bay has ever seen since Glory Girl and today he'll be up against the Wards' very own Shadow Stalker, a tough contender, the dark lady with a thirst for justice and the-,"  
  
"Clockblocker!!!," screamed Shadow Stalker. "Cut the shit or I'll introduce you to the business end of my crossbow!"  
  
"Fine, fine, fine, don't get your panties in a bunch," Shadow Stalker growled at that, "yeesh...Begin!"  
  
Shadow Stalker moved immediately, shifting into her shadow state in an instant and jumping forward. She was fast, much faster than a regular person in her shadow state.  
  
She reached him quickly and shifted back to normal immediately, her batons already swinging toward Greg's face. With a lazy movement, Greg slid over and avoided her weapons. With a small motion, she redirected her batons to strike him in the chest and he moved, leaning back.  
  
"HOW!" Miss. "ARE!" Miss. "YOU!" Another Miss. "DOING!" Another Miss. "THIS!" Another FUCKING Miss! "FUUUUCK!"  
  
She leapt back, turning into her shadow state the instant she moved, the force of her jump giving her distance. She glared at him, a growl rising in her throat as he gave her a small smile in return. The girl bent her knees and shot forward in an impressive run. She shifted into shadow once more and moved much faster, her gaseous form moving nearly as fast as a car. The instant before she reached him, she changed states and struck at him.  
  
The attack hit nothing but the air, though, Greg _moved_ a few inches to the side, his face close enough to Shadow Stalker's for their noses to be touching.  
  
The movement had been nothing more than a shifting of his feet but to an outside observer, it must have appeared as an impressive display of skill. As the Boss said, fighting is all about footwork.  
  
Greg smirked. Despite the fact that this really wasn't much of a fight, he was still enjoying himself. Well, he was enjoying Shadow Stalker's enraged screams. He really wasn't doing much at all. From the moment the fight had started, adrenaline had entered his system and Zirin had boosted his senses greatly, slowing everything down even more than normal. Shadow Stalker might as well have been a crawling baby. 'This is kinda starting to get a bit boring. Might as well end it.'  
  
As Shadow Stalker landed, she whipped around and was about to launch herself at Greg when she noticed him yawning. Under her mask, her eyes twitched in anger.  
  
"What the fuck? Am I boring you? Huh? Answer me, shithead!," she screamed at the bored-looking baldie.  
  
"I am getting a bit bored, yeah. I'm going to end this," was the blasé reply.  
  
"End this? Shit's barely gotten start-," Shadow Stalker froze. What happened would be viewed as an example for anyone who ever claimed that someone like Greg could never beat Lung. Without warning, Greg's appearance and demeanor suddenly changed. His rounded face became sharp and defined, his silly, dazed smile became a harsh grin that promised pain, his muscles seemed to bulge under his costume, his face darkened with rage, and his eyes....his eyes became nothing more than pinpricks of red that promised DEATH. An aura of rage surrounded him, paralyzing Shadow Stalker and making Vista and Clockblocker take several steps back and then several more. Greg Veder was gone and Superior was in his place.  
  
He **_blurred_**. In an instant, he was in her face and she shivered as she stared directly into his eyes.  
  
Superior's harsh grin increased. "Did you really think you could beat me? I took down Lung with nothing but these hands! And you thought you could bring me down? Here's your punishment for insulting my skill." Greg drew his fist back and launched it forward. Shadow Stalker closed her eyes, fear in control of her reactions, as she braced herself for the strike.  
  
When she realized she was still conscious and that something...someone was poking her, she opened her eyes. Only to see that Superior...no...Greg had his finger to her cheek. The aura of rage and death that defined Superior was gone and his eyes were back to his normal blue, the silly smile there once again.  
  
He snickered. "Did you really think I was going to kill you? Come on, Stalker." He flicked her on the cheek and she grunted as she flew back, the small flick feeling like a light punch from Aegis, meaning a strike from a heavyweight boxer.  
  
Clockblocker ran over, followed by Vista who was still filming.  
  
"Wow, dude, you're strong...and fast," the self-proclaimed Master of Time exclaimed.  
  
Greg grinned at the praise. "Yeah, but it's all about hard work. When I first got my powers, I could barely lift a couch on my own and Shadow Stalker was faster than me. I had to train for this type of strength."  
  
"So, how did you get so strong?," Vista asked, staring at him with stars in her eyes.  
  
"It was the hardest training anyone ever undertook. I suffered through hell everyday without rest. My best friends became pain, suffering, and misery. The first thing I felt when I woke up in the morning was the burning ache of my muscles and bones. Day after day, I pushed myself to my limits and beyond, to the point I felt like my body was breaking down and I was about to die. But when it was all over, I had succeeded. I was like this," Greg said, clenching his fist,"and I still continue my training to this very day."  
  
"What type of training from hell was this?" asked Clockblocker, skepticism clear in his tone.  
  
"If you must know....100 push-ups, 100 squats, 100 sit-ups, and 10km run. Every. Single. Day." Greg told him.  
  
Vista gaped. "How long were you doing this?"  
  
Greg took a deep breath and closed his eyes, the haunting memory of the hell he had been forced through playing through his mind.  
  
"One...Whole...Month," he said solemnly.  
  
At this point, Clockblocker went into shock from disbelief, mutterings of "that's so stupid" being repeated. Shadow Stalker, who had regained consciousness quickly enough to hear Greg's statements of training, started to have seizures of rage and screamed obscenities.  
  
Vista ran up to him, hands held up to grab at his costume. "Teach me, please!"


	24. PRT Threat Assessment: Superior

**PRT Threat Assessment: Superior  
  
Name:** Gregory Lucas Veder  
**  
Codename:** Superior  
  
**Classification:** Brute, Mover, Changer, Master, Blaster, Tinker  
  
**Disposition:** Independent but seems favorable to joining Wards  
  
**Location:** Brockton Bay, New Hampshire  
  
**  
Personality:** Possesses a sunny disposition, though prone towards bouts of intense anger, seems to enjoy classic films and comic books, displays extreme protectiveness towards mother and hatred toward father. (Unpredictable Behavior/Prone to intense anger, impulsiveness. Does not appear inclined towards villainy. Potentially Hostile.)  
  
**General Information:** Blonde hair, blue eyes (changes to red when enraged), 16 year old male  
  
  
**Ratings  
**  
**Brute 7** : Capable of surviving multiple impacts from Lung after the villain had undergone a second trigger. Ability to ignore pain below a certain threshold. Regeneration, seen to recover from damage that should be fatal in days, minutes when enraged. Exact mechanics of regeneration unknown. Superhuman strength noted. Able to engage in Close Quarters Combat with an enhanced Lung. Recovered from impalement through the chest within minutes.  
  
**Mover 4:** Footage recovered from street cameras clocked his running speed in excess of two-hundred miles an hour while carrying a passenger. Strength allows Superior to leap great heights and distances, greatest observed leap carried him nearly two-hundred and fifty feet into the air from the ground. Maximum distance of jumps unknown.  
  
**Master 2:** Causes intense fear/intimidation in others when enraged.  
  
**Changer 0** : Eyes change color to red when enraged  
  
**Blaster 4:** Footage recovered from street cameras showed him utilizing a blast able of tearing of Lung's arm twice. It is unknown why he did not use the blasts for a prolonged period. Possibly a time limit or the energy used weakens him.  
  
**Tinker 0:** Damaged costume retrieved by Armsmaster appears to be Tinker-made and seems constructed with nanomaterials. Device on costume appears to be a computer. Suit too damaged to retrieve additional information. Unknown if Superior is a Tinker but it is more likely that he has come in contact with a Tinker.  
  
**Notes (Director's Eyes Only):** Information given by Panacea has shown that he is capable of a higher Brute rating than he has shown. Lacks a Corona Pollentia and a Gemma. Believed to have been created by a Bio-Tinker specializing in physical enhancement/power granting.


	25. Interlude 2c: Susan Veder

> "Venti Green Tea, No water, light sugar for a...Santa Virgin," announced the female barista at the front register, bored eyes scanning for the right customer. "I said, Venti Green Tea, No water, light sug-"  
>   
> "That's me."  
>   
> Susan Veder retrieved her tea from the barista's hands, the tattooed girl flashing her an obviously fake smile. She didn't even look back or say "Thank you" as she usually did. She had too much on her mind at the moment.  
>   
> Sitting down at an unoccupied table, Susan took a sip of the hot tea and frowned. Light sweetener, she had asked for light sweetener. What was wrong with them that every single time she came here and asked for light sweetener they ended up turning over an entire cup of sugar into her tea? This was not what she asked for. In fact, she should go back up there and demand they remake it...that or refund her money. Instead, Susan did what she always did every time this happened. She simply sighed and continued to drink. It wasn't worth it. Why should anyone care about her and her problems, her issues? She had a job, a good job with overtime and benefits. That was more than could be said for over half the people in this city. She had a big home in Captain's Hill and a son who had turned out alright despite having a horrible example of a father.  
>   
> Greg hated his father, hated him more than anything else. She knew that. She wished he didn't but she couldn't change that. The thing was, Greg was very protective and had hated Rowan for how he had treated her. He knew about the alcoholism but not the gambling or drug abuse and if she had her way, he never would. All she wanted was to have a family again, for her son to have a father. Was that too much? That was all she wanted. Since she was young, her mother had told her that a woman's place was taking care of her family. She thought she had ignored all of her mother's ideas of what a woman should be but she had found out long ago that that wasn't true.  
>   
> Susan knew she had a tendency to blame herself for things she couldn't control but she couldn't help it. It was her family, damn it! First was Rowan, staying out late, drinking heavily, using drugs and cheating with so many different women. Now, it's Greg. She knew he had been hiding something and she was ready to talk about it with him. At first, with all the working out and changes to his appearance, she had thought he was gay and that he was just struggling with telling her. She wouldn't have cared. But powers? Why would he hide that from her? He knew she loved capes. They both did. It was one of the many things that they had in common. If he could be hiding that, what else could he be hiding from her? Sex? Drugs?  
>   
> Susan glanced at her phone, 9: 40. She should have been at work by nine at the latest. Who really cared? They had Panacea. Why would they need one extra nurse? Besides, they'd be fine without her. She'd call in sick in an hour or two, claim she took a bit too much NyQuil for a cold and ended up oversleeping. Susan took another long sip of her over-sweetened tea, lost in thought.  
>   
> Things were going to be rough for a while. Unless Greg joined the Protectorate or New Wave, they would have to move. She knew that for a fact. He was an outed cape. He might be able to shrug off bullets but what about her? Greg might be as tough as steel but she was still very squishy. All she could do was hope that no one would be crazy enough to attack the home of someone that, if what her son had said was true, sent Lung into a coma.  
>   
> The gangs had to know his identity by now. He beat up Lung so the ABB definitely knew his face. And the Empire...Greg had beaten up a young Empire member at school, so he was already outed to the E88 and the Merchants, as well. God, she hated this city. Three gangs, all of them with powered members. The ABB could be understood. Their homeland had been destroyed by Leviathan and they had all flocked to the one man capable of fighting him on equal footing.  
>   
> The Merchants were also understandable. I mean, a gang designed around drugs. That was only expected. But the one group she could not stand was the E88. What was the point of spreading racism, especially in times like these? An Endbringer could be at your doorstep at any moment or a cape fight could end your life in seconds. Why waste your life preaching hatred? It was pointless. She hated the looks she received too, from both the E88 and from regular people. Being blonde and blue eyed in this town was not a good idea. It had the side effect of making every non-white person around her wonder if she was part of the Empire and it made her a prime target for E88 men. It was even worse now. She had made sure to keep somewhat fit, hoping that if she stayed attractive her husband would give her more than a second look. It hadn't worked. It did have the unfortunate effect of making the E88 more up-front about what they wanted, asking her if she wanted to "preserve the bloodline." Weakest pick-up line ever.  
>   
> Susan sighed. This was not what she expected her life would be like. A single mother at thirty-nine and stuck in a city full of crime and Nazis. She raised the cup to her lips one more time only to freeze as she felt someone place a rather large hand on her shoulder. Not again...they were getting even more handsy now.  
>   
> Putting her cup down, she whipped around, intending to give whatever Aryan pig that felt like putting their hands on her a piece of her mind. Instead, she froze as she stared up at someone she had definitely not expected to see. "...you."  
>   
> "Hello, Susan. Long time no see. Mind if I join you?," the man said, voice smooth and confident.  
>   
> She nodded slowly, still in shock at the sight of the well-dressed figure in front of her.  
>   
> The man sat down in the seat opposite her, coffee in hand. "You look great, by the way. Have you been working out?"  
>   
> "...I have. I try to stay healthy. I'm taking care of Greg on my own, after all," Susan replied, unsure of what to say.  
>   
> He nodded, taking a sip of his coffee as he did so. "I'm sorry about how things ended between you and Rowan by the way. We were like brothers, him and I, and frankly, I just never expected him to do something like that. He was going downhill. Leaving you and your son like that...Just pathetic. That's why I had to fire him. How is Gregory, by the way?"  
>   
> "...He's fine. What is this about? Not that I'm not happy to see you. It's just...I haven't heard from you in over two or three years...apart from the occasional call at Christmas," Susan said, wondering where the conversation was leading to.  
>   
> A sad look crossed his face at the thought. "Well, I've been going through some family issues of my own and it's just been rather hard for me to face people. As Greg's godfather, I should have been there for him. It's been a long time since I've heard him call me Uncle, after all."  
>   
> Susan patted his hand and simply sat in silence, waiting for him to continue.  
>   
> "Honestly, though, this is about your son."  
>   
> Susan froze up as he said that. 'He knows? How could he know? How long has Greg been going out for? No...this can't be about that' "What about Greg?"  
>   
> "Susan, there's no need to worry. I already know. I was driving past the Docks the other night and I happened to see someone that looks a lot like Greg down there fighting Lung," he said with a small smile. "Look, I want to talk to Greg. Make him an offer. I know you've been struggling. I want to help."  
>   
> Susan frowned slightly and huffed. "Look, I know you want to help but I don't need your charity."  
>   
> He laughed softly in response. "Suzie, it's not charity. All I want is to offer Greg a job. I owe him at least that. I am his godfather, after all."  
>   
> "I don't...I don't know...I'm not sure," Susan said, shaking her head slowly.  
>   
> "Well, do you mind if I at least talk to him? Get his opinion on this?"  
>   
> Susan sighed again but returned his smile. "Fine, he's at home right now. Do you want to do this right now?"  
>   
> "No, why don't we have lunch first?," he said, standing up. "I know this delightful French restaurant downtown. They have the best salmon filet with seared shrimp on the side," he continued, reaching out his hand.  
>   
> Susan smirked at him as she stood up and took the offered hand. "Is this one of your famous romantic lunch dates? Should I be worried that you'll sweep me of my feet?"  
>   
> She received a charming smile in response. "Of course not. Me? Sweep you off your feet? You're too smart for that. Besides, you've known me since high school. You already know all my tricks."  
>   
> Susan grabbed her purse and walked out of the coffee shop, hand in hand with the charming gentleman.
> 
>  

 


	26. Complications 2.5B

\-----------------------------------------  
1:30 PM  
\----------------------------------------  
  
Gregory Veder sat up on his bed, still wearing little more than a pair of boxers, and stared at his white-haired mentor. The person in question leaned back in Greg's desk chair, oblivious to the piercing stare of his minion.  
  
"......."  
  
"......."  
  
"......."  
  
"...Are you seriously telling me you really don't know what all my powers are?," Greg finally asked, exasperation evident in his tone.  
  
Without even opening his eyes or lifting his head, Evron let out a breath. "I didn't mean it like that. What I meant to say is that you simply haven't shown any yet."  
  
Greg spluttered, the statement being the last thing he expected to hear. "Wha...huh...bu...I...what are you talking about? You taught me how to use the ones I have. I'm strong, fast, I make weapons tougher, I can blast stuff and apparently, I can make shields. How is that not showing powers?"  
  
Ev yawned, sitting up and actually looking Greg in the eyes. "How are those not powers? Simple. You have Royal Kheran DNA. Royals have innate Zirin control. That shit's normal...it's in your genes, bro. Your speed and strength are basically a two year old's but everything else is appropriate. You just haven't developed a unique ability in response to an urgent situation yet. It'll happen, just give it time."  
  
Greg's jaw went slack. "All this shit is normal for them? All these powers? How tough were these Space Nazis?"  
  
Evron began to snicker softly. "Greg, man, they're not Space Nazis. I mean, they didn't do what they did out of hate or anything. They were scared of being enslaved again...at least at first. Then it became all about the fact that their race was better than any other and that they should be in charge...huh....I guess they were Space Nazis...Well, point to you. Anyway, yeah, Kherans, even the normals, are pretty fucking tough. No such thing as a Kheran civilian. That's how they conquered. They were real badasses on the battlefield. Real fucking badasses," Evron finished with a faraway look in his eye.  
  
"Y-yeah...real badasses." Greg stared at his hands and remembered how he felt the night before. He could understand what the Boss was talking about. Facing down Lung had been simply **GLORIOUS.** He could remember the sound of his heartbeat as the rush of Zirin boosted him, allowing him to dodge all, well...almost all of Lung's powerful strikes. Evron had told him that he needed to meditate and control his rage whenever he felt it building up or he could seriously hurt someone. Greg honestly didn't even know if that was possible. The level of euphoria he had felt was almost indescribable. It was a high that he doubted even drugs could match. If he had gotten it in his mind to fight all the Endbringers at once, Greg wouldn't have doubted that he would have tried. Looking back on it with a clear head, it actually terrified him. That level of unbelievable confidence combined with pure exhilaration and bliss was unbelievable but he didn't have it in him to stop. His muscles had been torn, his body had been burnt, his bones had been broken and he had been closer to death than he had ever been in his entire life, but it wasn't enough for him. He had needed **MORE**.  
  
Greg shivered, the thought frightening him, and he turned back to Evron, hoping to change the subject. "...Uh...so, Ev...uh...where...uh...where you yesterday?"  
  
"On the moon."  
  
It was a testament to how much Greg believed in Evron that he did not immediately claim that he was lying. As it was, he did seem to be having a bit of trouble processing the validity of that statement.  
  
"......"  
  
"......"  
  
"......the moon?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"....the moon in space?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"...the real moon?"  
  
Evron turned to give his somewhat skeptical minion a blank look. "No, Gregory, the one made of cheese."  
  
Greg sighed, still struggling somewhat to believe Evron. "How did you get into space?" Then another more important thought came to mind. "How did you get past the Simurgh? Did you fight her again?!!"  
  
"Nah...I just teleported," Evron replied, leaning back again.  
  
"You can teleport?!," Greg exclaimed, before taking a few breaths to calm himself down. "Okay...okay...you can teleport. No big deal. That's not that special. Just...what were you doing on the moon?"  
  
Despite the fact that Evron wasn't directly facing him, Greg could still see a small smile play at his lips before quickly turning with an angry scowl. "Just...testing some of my more...esoteric powers...you know, just to see if they work. Different universes...some times, rarely, different fucking rules. Shit like than can fuck you up. You wouldn't know," Evron finished, the scowl fading somewhat.  
  
Greg shrugged. "Okaaaaaaaayyyyy...that does make some sense...I guess. What are your powers anyway?"  
  
Evron nodded, a small smile replacing the scowl, and he responded quickly, as if hearing a joke that he already knew the punch line to. "Yes."  
  
"What?"  
  
Shaking his head, Evron let out a small chuckle, and flashed Greg a sharp-toothed grin. "Nothing, nothing. It's a joke that my friend Craig makes all the time. Uh...well...at this point, I don't really think about it. There's so many that I'm not really sure, honestly," Evron said, scratching his chin thoughtfully.  
  
Greg stood up, curiosity written clearly on his face. "Okay...explain to me what powers you do know that you have. Just give me the basics."  
  
Evron raised an eyebrow, his grin fading into a small smile. "Huh...well, I started off with super speed and a healing factor. I was stronger than normal too but barely above a boxer in terms of strength. I got those at five years old and up until I was fourteen, that didn't change."  
  
"Why? What's so special about you being fourteen?," Greg asked, still as curious as ever.  
  
"Fourteen was when my best bud Anton wanted to go out and be a hero and I decided to join him. Anyway, I was trying to stop these criminals and one of them had lightning powers. The guy, we later found out we were cousins, was trying to kill me and he literally fried me alive but I managed to knock him out but his friends still escaped with him. Anyway, found out I could use lightning when I ended up shocking myself when I took a shower. Turned out to be permanent," Evron said, raising his right hand up.  
  
Greg gaped as electricity began to coil around Evron's arm, forming a small ball right above his thumb. 'Holy fucking shit!' "Cool...maybe I could get that too. Would it work if you tried to fry me? We'd be like lightning twins!"  
  
Evron narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth as if to say something but shook his head instead, changing his mind. "First of all, lightning twins...Two words. Hell. No," Evron shook his head again as if trying to remove the idea from his brain. "In fact, never say that again if you don't want to stay a minion forever. That's an order. Second of all, yeah...probably wouldn't work. Trying it would leave you with some major brain damage. You can't even regenerate yet. Lightning like that would fuck you up for good...Seriously, don't try that," Evron said firmly, sending Greg a sharp glare.  
  
"Anyway, a few months later, I found out I could shoot blasts from my hands. Then, shit went down and Paragon, The # 1 Hero on Earth, lost his shit and tried to destroy New York. Long story short, he ended up turning into a crystalline monster. I blew him up by overloading him and he exploded in the upper atmosphere and a lot of his crystals landed in me and a few landed in Anton who was trying to fly up there to catch me. I couldn't fly at the time. Anyway, we got a big boost from that. I got a LOT stronger and faster and my blasts got a major boost and I figured out how to use eye beams. And-"  
  
"Wait...so...you just killed him....just like that. You said he was your biggest hero. Why?," Greg asked, an uneasy expression on his face.  
  
"Greg, don't give me that. Seriously, you weren't there. It was hell, okay. The city was leveled, people were dying...Vermont was just...gone. A good chunk of Massachusetts too. Look, just imagine if...that guy...Scion? Imagine if Scion lost his shit and tried to kill everyone."  
  
Color bleached from Greg's face as he thought of the sheer mayhem that the world's most powerful hero would cause. "That'd be...horrible."  
  
"Yeah...you see my point...He had to go. Okay, so where was I...yeah...after that, I started having dreams about falling and I ended up figuring out how to fly after I got pushed out a plane at 35,000 feet. Then after that was telekinesis, just some Brute force stuff at f It was a learned skill. Later on, I got regeneration, force fields, Zirin control, limited shapeshifting, teleportation, energy absorption, psychokinesis, power copying, reality jumping, time travel. That's basically the important parts."  
  
Greg stared for a few seconds, his left eye twitching. "That's...that's just...Bullshit! How are you...just...what? I've heard of grab-bag capes...but come on! That's just so bullshittingly unfair! How can anyone have all those powers?"  
  
"Bullshittingly?," Evron replied, shrugging. "You could say that. Although every top tier hero is pretty up there. Even the older teams like Trinity, Super Sentai, The League of Many, Young Paragons. I mean, Trinity had Paragon, Liberty, and Renegade all on the same team. Well, Paragon and Renegade are kinda...dead...so...yeah."  
  
"So the Trinity? Three top heroes...the best, right? You're at their level?"  
  
Evron narrowed his eyes. "No...I'm not at their level. Umm...maybe when I was sixteen sure...but that's a long time ago. I run my own team, bro. Freedom Guard and their Trinity is shit compared to Titanwatch and my Alphas."  
  
"So this...Trinity? They were just like the Triumvirate, right?"  
  
"Eh...the Trinity were kinda basically America's super nukes. American military-made...well, not Renegade. American born...strongest heroes in the world. Officially, they were part of the UN sponsored team called Freedom Guard...but people knew where they stood. Let me show you what I'm talking about. Sia, bring up File: Paragon 1...Clearance Level...eh...C."  
  
A hologram appeared from the floor, emanating from the small disk Evron had dropped a short while ago. This time, a tall, heavily muscled blonde man appeared. His physique was Apollonian and his unmasked face was rather handsome as well. The costume he wore was a bright gold, with a white star as his insignia and white trim. A warm smile was on his face and he stood in a heroic pose, hands on hips and looking upwards. Greg gasped. The guy looked like the dictionary definition of the word 'Hero.'  
  
The device on the floor began to speak.  
"Paragon. Hero.   
Threat Class: S   
Affiliation: Freedom Guard.   
Designation: Leader.  
Archetype: Paragon.   
Married to Hero: Liberty.   
Father to Hero: Paradigm, Hero: Sunburst, Hero: Marvel, Villain: Ubermensch, Villain: Schadenfreude.  
  
Formerly regarded as the most powerful hero in the world, Paragon engaged in an experimental procedure to increase his abilities. This procedure led to Paragon going berserk and destroying nearly four states and portions of South America in his rage. Death toll was estimated to be over 75 million. He was terminated by Hero: Titan. Abilities: Paragon possessed superhuman lifting strength ranging from 250 thousand to 2 million tons, superhuman speed ranging from 25,000 mph to 250,000 mph. Durable enough to survive the heat of the sun's core for extended periods of time. Enhanced Intelligence. Superhuman Senses. Projected Energy Absorption. Solar Energy Projection."  
  
Greg continued staring as the image of Paragon as the device continued to speak. 'This guy...this guy was strong.' Greg turned to Evron, an incredulous expression on his face, and pointed at the image of Paragon. "This guy's unbelievable! You took him down?"  
  
"Yeah, but I can't take all the credit. It was a team effort." With a slight gesture of his hand, the device flew into his open palm, the hologram disappearing.  
  
Greg nodded, satisfied with that answer. "So...what now?"  
  
Evron shrugged, making a sound that could be interpreted as "I dunno know" but was most likely "I don't care."  
  
"You mind if I ask you something, Ev?"  
  
"...why not? Go ahead."  
  
"...."  
  
"...."  
  
"...."  
  
Greg sat there, a single bead of sweat gathering on his forehead, trying to think of a way to approach Evron with a request that he had been contemplating since last night. 'I need to ask him. Should I ask him now or should I wait? It's not like he's doing anything right now anyway. Do it. Do it! Do it, you giant pussy! Just ask. The worst he could do is say no. Well....no. The worst he could do is teleport me up to the moon and let me die but...Ev wouldn't do that. Right?'  
  
The two sat in silence for a bit longer, until Greg finally decided to speak his mind.. "...Yeah...so, I was thinking..."  
  
Evron slowly turned to face the blonde boy. "Oh, really...please tell me. What were you thinking about?"  
  
"Well...you can give powers...and you already gave me powers..."  
  
"Yes..."  
  
'Just say it! Boss, I know that you gave me powers and I appreciate the fact that you did. I like them a lot and it's because of you that I can be a hero now and that means a lot to me. However, I think that I may have underestimated exactly how dangerous the villains are in this city. Since I fought Lung last night and he was every bit as terrifying as he has been described online and I also attacked an E88 member at school, I've started to realize that the gangs will most likely attempt retaliation for my actions and I'm worried for the safety of my mother. I understand if I am going too far by asking this and that you've already done a lot for me, but I would like to ask you one favor. Would you please grant my mom superpowers for her own protection?' Greg nodded as he gathered his thoughts and prepared to eloquently make his case as to why his mom needed powers.  
  
He opened his mouth.  
  
"GIVE MY MOM POWERS OR SHE'LL DIE!"  
  
"......."  
  
Evron simply stared at him, one eyebrow raised.  
  
'...smooth, Greg....real smooth. He's never going to say yes to that.' "What...uh...I...uh...meant to say was...uh...I appreciate villains...I mean...the powers you did give me...I like Lung...I mean, I like them...uh,"Greg spluttered, scrambling to salvage the situation.  
  
"...Fine."  
  
Greg's eyes widened at Evron's simple acceptance."What? Really?"  
  
Evron put both hands behind his head and leaned even further back as he floated out of Greg's desk chair. "I'm going to have to give her a different type of powers than you, though because Evolved tend not to react well when you turn them past puberty. I'm pretty sure your mom is past that."  
  
"Why does puberty matter?"  
  
"Hormones and shit. You're brain hasn't really developed like an adult's so I can't Evolve her like I did you. Honestly, making more Evolved would be a stupid idea anyway," he continued, lazily floating circles around Greg's bed. "Evolved are all about dominance. Making more would just lead to them trying to fight you all the time anyway. I'll have to use something different, " As he finished speaking, he held his right hand in front of him and stared at it as a baseball-sized ball of blue light appeared in the center of his palm.  
  
Greg craned his neck, trying to see what Evron was doing. "What's that?"  
  
"Shh..." The ball split into five different smaller orbs and Evron closed his palm quickly. When he opened it, there were five small, blue, jagged crystals sitting there. Picking one up with his left hand, he tossed it down to Greg.  
  
After scrambling to catch it for a few tense moments, Greg held it up victoriously. Despite it's small package, Greg could feel an undeniable sense of power inside it. "What is it?"  
  
"...A less reliable method for granting powers, but still useful. Give it to your mom...or something. As long as it's on her person or around her, it'll grant her powers when she feels like she's in mortal danger," Evron answered, his eyes closed once again.  
  
Greg stared at the crystal in his hand for a few seconds as he processed Evron's words. "How am I supposed to give this to her? It's a crystal. I'm not a five year old. I can't just be like 'Here, mommy, I found this shiny rock on the ground'," Greg protested.  
  
Evron scoffed as he floated around Greg's room, eyes still closed. "Not my problem...Figure it out."  
  
Despite the slight frown on his face, Greg was smiling on the inside. Even though Evron's eccentric attitudes were sometimes funny and at worst, infuriating, the guy didn't mind helping him out most of the time. 'What's he getting out of this, though? I mean, he can give out powers like it's candy. He could do whatever he wants. Why is he messing around with me?' Greg stood up, walking past the still floating form of his young mentor, and made his way to his closet. 'He could be super famous but doesn't feel like outing himself until he's 'ready'. What does that even mean? He could have spent an entire month trying to get back to his universe but he's been spending it with me...training me. It doesn't really make sense...huh.'  
  
He continued to think as he dressed himself, occasionally glancing back at Evron. 'Maybe he's just weird and doesn't care about all that stuff. I mean, he's already the top dog on his world. Although, maybe he's lying about that...Nah, I trust him. Besides, why wo-'  
  
"Greg..."  
  
Still in the middle of putting on a polo, Greg turned around, hurriedly shoving his face through the hole. "Huh?"  
  
Evron was still floating but instead of lying back, he sat up with his legs folded. "...Your mom's home."  
  
"What? Mom works form eight to eleven most days. She can't be home yet," Greg replied adamantly.  
  
"Check for yourself then," was the as-expected nonchalant reply.  
  
Greg opened the door to his room and poked his head out to see...no one. 'What's he talking about? No one's here.' Greg turned around to tell Evron that he was wrong only to see no one in his room either. Greg glanced around his room and waved his hands all over, trying to touch something that may be invisible to his senses."...Is invisibility one of your powers too? Is that a thing that I should know about? Cause I'm not cool with you walking around my house invisible."  
  
When no one answered, Greg sighed. "Fuckin' weirdo...whatever...I'm going downstairs to make something to eat. If you're hungry, I can only make food for people I can see!"  
  
No answer.  
  
Greg huffed and made his way down the stairs, mumbling to himself as he did so.  
  
"Ooooohhh, I'm Evron, a big bad hero with all the powers...frickin frick...I can teleport....ooh now I can go invisible too. I hope you can hear me, you creep!"  
  
He continued mumbling as he walked downstairs, only to pause as he heard noises from outside.  
  
"Oh my god, that was delicious...I can't believe it."  
  
'A woman's voice...laughing, no...giggling...Mom? She's home? Ev was right?'  
  
"What did I tell you, Susan? I know cuisine."  
  
'A deep voice...a man...flirting with Mom. Flirting with Mom?'  
  
"No, no...that's not all you knooooow. You also know how to show a girl a good time. You're...soooo nice...not like Rowan. He was never really nice to me."  
  
"Don't worry about that. Now...let's get you to bed."  
  
Fire burned in Greg's veins as soon as he heard the man speak those words. ' **THE FUCK DOES HE THINK HE'S DOING?!** ' Greg jumped down the rest of the stairs and pulled open the door quickly, the wood creaking from his strength and his fingers leaving impressions in the doorknob.  
  
His mother stood there, eyes bloodshot and eyelids droopy and a few dark stains on her floral scrubs. Her face was flushed and a dazed smile was plastered on her face. Greg's nose twitched as he took in a strong smell of alcohol. 'She's wasted?'  
  
That dazed smile became an even more dazed grin as soon as she caught sight of her son.  
  
"Greggie, honey, looook who's heeeere," she slurred, gesturing wildly.  
  
A man stood next to her with an arm around her waist, holding her body tightly to his while she had her arm draped over the shoulders of his obviously expensive suit. Somewhat tall, blonde, grey eyes, square jaw...that same smug smile. It wasn't his dad. It definitely wasn't Rowan Veder...but it was a closer resemblance than he was at all comfortable with.  
  
He hated this man, whoever he was. He hated him. He hated his face. He hated his clothes. He hated his very existence. In fact, all he wanted to do was rip him in half for even daring to touch **his** mother. 'Control it. Push it down....Listen to Ev. Don't let it control you...You're in **control.** '  
  
Greg faced the man, an extremely forced smile on his face as he stared at the object of his fury. "...Hello," he finally forced out through his gritted teeth. The anger in his chest died down from a raging fire to a simmering burn as he finally pushed the word out.  
  
"Gregory, it's good to see you again. How's my godson been?," spoke the man with a wide, sincere smile.  
  
And just like that, the fire went out entirely as his anger gave way to shock.  
  
'GODSON?!!!'  
  
Greg froze as he stared at the man closely, picking out minute details that he didn't notice due to his rage.  
  
The smile...less smug, more confident. Hair...a dirty blonde instead of honey. Face...jaw line rectangular and sharp rather than square and strong.  
  
It all painted an oddly familiar picture and after a few seconds of intense staring, Greg's eyes widened and he took a few steps back out of surprise.  
  
"...Uncle?...Uncle Max?!!!"


	27. Complication 2.6

> "Uncle Max?...What...uh...what are you doing here?,"Greg asked in confusion before turning his attention to what was actually important. "...and why is my mother wasted at two in the afternoon?"  
>   
> His mom let go of his godfather and stumbled into the house, swaying as she did so. With both hands, she grabbed onto his face and began squeezing it and and rubbing as if it was a stress ball. "Oh, I luh you so mush, Greggie. Oooo care abuh me...ooo care abuh me...I luh you, Greggie," she mumbled at him, slurring almost every word. "You're my presshious li'l baby. I luh you...I luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhh yyyyooooooooouuuuuuuuu."  
>   
> Greg courageously managed to suppress a groan as his mother blew her breath directly into his nose with every slurred word. Apparently, alcohol was not the only thing on her breath. "Mom, did you...throw up?"  
>   
> Her dazed smile became a tad embarrased. "A li'l bid. I had some wine."  
>   
> Greg pulled her hands from his face and helped his mom stand up a bit straighter. "Yeah, I can see that. How much did you drink?"  
>   
> "A bolly...abolly and uhalf. Mayyyybeeee two."  
>   
> Greg sighed and glanced at his godfather still standing outside. "Two bottles...really?"  
>   
> Max simply smiled and nodded.  
>   
> Shaking his head, Greg helped his mother stand straight up again. "Listen, Mom, let's...uh...get you...in bed...okay. Let me help you. "  
>   
> “H-h-h-heeeeey, youuung maaaan! Whaddya thing yeeeeeeeer doin’?” she slurred, jabbing a finger into Greg’s chest.  
>   
> Greg took a step back. "....uh...helping you? You're pretty drunk, Mom," answered Greg, unsure of how to deal with Drunk Susan.  
>   
> “Gerroff me!” she said. “I’m ash sober ash ’m gonna git. And nuffing I - wait wait wait," she paused, gulping audibly, " nuffing _you_ can do ‘boutit. A'am your motha' and I take care of youuu. Not youu taking care of meeeee. Jew got that, mishta?”  
>   
>  Greg nodded slowly and his mother smiled. "Datt's goood."  
>   
> And with that, she pulled away from Greg, ambling her way up the stairs, hiccuping and burping as she moved.  
>   
> Greg and Max watched her walk up the stairs, barely swaying at all with her hand on the banister. She walked into the second floor bathroom and a few seconds later, the sound of retching was heard.  
>   
> Greg turned to his godfather, unsure of what to say. Maximus Anders was a close friend of his father. They had known each other since high school and the two had remained somewhat close ever since. Since Greg had been young, the man had been seen in the household at least once or twice every month up until a few years ago. Greg really had nothing bad to say about his Uncle Max but there was nothing necessarily good either. Despite the fact that he was less boisterous and much more kind than Rowan had ever been, Max Anders had always reminded him too much of his father for Greg to ever like him much. It was an odd balancing act between distaste and respect.  
>   
> Greg nodded awkwardly and Max simply stood there, a small smile on his face.  
>   
> "Can I come in, Greg?"  
>   
> "Yea-yeah...come on in, Uncle Max." Greg moved to the side as Max walked in, closing the door behind him.  
>   
> Greg watched as his godfather walked into the living room and sat down on the white leather couch his mom had bought. "I like what you did with your hair. A Mohawk. I always wanted one when I was your age but my dad ruled with an iron fist. Finally beginning to rebel?", Max asked with a smirk.  
>   
> Greg rolled his eyes. "Not really, I just made some stupid choices that ended up leading to this."  
>   
> "I understand. How are you, Greg?"  
>   
> Scowling slightly, Greg sat down in the single chair next to him. "I'm fine...No offense, Uncle Max, but why are you here? I haven't seen you since... **HE**...left and that was...what? More than two years ago?"  
>   
>  Max nodded and leaned back on the sofa, crossing his legs. "It has been a while, I know. I'm sorry about that. I've been having my own family troubles."  
>   
> Greg sighed. "...I'm sorry about that...but that still doesn't explain why you're here now...and with my mom," he said, glancing up at the sound of his mother retching again. "That's another good question. Why were you with my mom when-" Greg paused as Susan's retching and dry heaving increased in volume, interspersed with random moans. "...when she's supposed to be at work?"  
>   
> "Greggie?!," called his mother's voice.  
>   
> "Yes, Mom? You need any help?"  
>   
> "Nooo, A'am vine. Buuuut...wheeeere's the draaaain cleaner? Uh...sumfing's got the toilet all stug up."  
>   
> Greg rolled his eyes at the thought of how much vomit it would take to clog a toilet that quickly. "It's behind the toilet, Mom."  
>   
> "Dank oooo, Greggie."  
>   
> Greg sighed and glanced back at his godfather. "And why in the hell is she drunk like that? You two were drinking? What? Are you dating now?," Greg questioned, nearly growling the last question.  
>   
> Max shook his head softly. "Greg, look, it's not anything like what you're imagining. I was in the middle of getting some coffee this morning when I saw your mother sitting by herself looking a bit down. I hadn't seen her in a long time and I just wanted to talk to her, see how she's been...how you've been. I took her to a nice restaurant for lunch. We ate a little bit. I had a glass of wine. She...had a bottle or two. She was in no condition to drive so I drove her home. Your mother and I are not dating or anything like that."  
>   
> Greg stared at him, not convinced that something wasn't up. "And you just happened to randomly meet up with her? In a coffee shop? Since when does a CEO get his own coffee? I don't buy it."  
>   
> Max chuckled softly in response. "Maybe I like doing things for myself. Did you ever think of that, Greg?"  
>   
> Greg raised one hand to his face and rubbed his chin as he shot Max a piercing stare. "I still don't buy it. Look, Uncle Max, I'm just a little bit suspicious, okay. No offense but you're my dad's friend and I don't really trust my dad...or anything to do with him, really. And all of a sudden, my dad's friend popping up after two years to wine and dine my mother...I mean, come on, that doesn't seem kinda off to you? I just want to know...why are you here? Why now?"  
>   
> "I get where you're coming from, Greg and...I'd be lying if I said I didn't understand. I know it seems a little bit suspicious but there's no need to be angry."  
>   
> Greg balled his hands into fists and placed them on his lap. This conversation was annoying him more and more the longer it went on. There was just something about his godfather that reminded him of his father and it irritated him to no end. Right now, it was the way that he was trying to avoid his questions. "I don't care if there's no need to be angry. It doesn't matter. I'm already angry 'cause you're not answering my questions. Why are you here, Uncle Max? Why now? And what were you doing with my mom? Just tell me! Stop avoiding it!"  
>   
> Max sighed and he leaned forward on the sofa, the leather squeaking loundly. "...You're absolutely right, Greg. There is a reason. You're very smart. Must have gotten that from your mother. To be honest, I hadn't thought about you and your mother much ever since your parents got divorced. Rowan...your father was my connection to you and your mother. I may have been your godfather, but I didn't think much of that. It's just a thing people say."  
>   
> "Is there a point to this?...Cause I have to go take care of my mom," Greg interrupted, glancing at the stairs.  
>   
> "Gregory, please...When your father left, I was going through my own divorce. I didn't feel like I could take any more stress. Though, for the last few months, I have been thinking about you two. I was talking to your mom today just to see how the two of you've been. I've talked to her over the phone a few times this year. Asked if I could help. She says she doesn't need charity. Then, last night...well...I realized how I could help you. I know you were there last night...at the Docks...with Lung."  
>   
> Greg's eyes narrowed into slits and he tensed in his seat, clenching his fists tightly. 'He doesn't know, he doesn't know....relax...' "Me?...I don't know what you're talking about. Why would I be at the Docks? That'd be crazy. Lung destroyed most of it last night."  
>   
> Max gave him a knowing smile and Greg's eye twitched in annoyance. "Greg, I know-"  
>   
> Greg literally growled as Max said that. "What? What do you know?! Tell me! I didn't see you there! Everything around us was destroyed."  
>   
> Holding his hands up, Max leaned backwards as if intimidated by Greg's words. The patronizing action only served to annoy Greg. "Please, let me finish...I saw a photo of you fighting Lung. I was at one of my warehouse overseeing the delivery of some new stock when I heard about Lung in the area. I was planning to evacuate when one of my workers showed me a photo they took. It was you...in costume, leaning on a wall with Lung behind you on the ground. It was rather blurry but I know your face."  
>   
> Max reached into his jacket pocket and brought out a phone. A lot of people had smartphones now. They were popular but expensive and if they could afford it, they bought one. Compared to Earth Aleph, Earth Bet's technology, besides the Tinker-made stuff, was lackluster. Aleph had bigger and better phones, tablets and televisions. Max's phone was one of the newer ones, large and well designed, copied from Aleph schematics. Some people had managed to get schematics from Earth Aleph and made small changes to them, producing better tech than most of their competitors. It was much more expensive, but if you were like Max and had the money to spare, then it didn't matter much.  
>   
> Greg grimaced at the picture. It was somewhat fuzzy but he could make out his own face. It was just after Lung had gored him and he was bent over, clutching his chest as he bled. "So that's why you're here. Because I have powers, huh. That's it? Me being a cape makes us important to you again, right?"  
>   
> "Again, it's not like that. I know my friendship with your father doesn't leave you with the best impression of me but just let me explain myself. I've been wondering about how I could help you and your mother but I realized I know what I can do for you now...," he paused as his phone rang, interrupting him.  
>   
> Max glanced at the screen and canceled the call before placing it face down on the coffee table in front of him.  
>   
> "Sorry about that. This is about you. No interruptions. As I was saying, I know what I can do for you now...I want to offer you a job, Greg."  
>   
> Greg blinked suddenly, surprised by the statement. "A job? Doing what?"  
>   
> Max's smile returned full force and he leaned forward even further. "I want you to be the official sponsored Hero for MedHall Pharmaceuticals."  
>   
> Greg's mouth opened slightly. "...I-I-I-I can't...what? Me? Why me?"  
>   
> "Greg, you're a brand new cape. You're young, handsome and you defeated Lung. Someone like you, with that level of power, is not going to be seen that often. I want to help you grow."  
>   
> "I don't know...I'm thinking of joining the Wards already....or, or New Wave."  
>   
> Max stood up, picking up his phone. "Greg, if you join either of them, you'll just be one of many. I can make you stand out. You defeated Lung. Do you know what that means? You could become what this city needs..." Max's smile became a tad darker as he continued. "...someone who can remove the scum from Brockton Bay and make it safe again. The Protectorate would make you a child soldier and New Wave's a family team. I'd let you live your life. With me, your Uncle Max, I'll get you whatever you want. Money, cars, tech, your own base. Say it and it's yours."  
>   
> 'He's got a point, right? It makes sense. The Wards wouldn't even give me that stuff. New Wave...definitely not.' Despite his thoughts, Greg said nothing, simply staring at his godfather as he smiled at him. "...Why? Why do you want to help me?"  
>   
> "Well, I do have a motive. I'm a businessman. Having a hero like you as the face of my company would only improve business. But the real reason is simple. Your dad called me and asked me to take you under my wing. I thought about what he had to say and I realized that he was right. You're my godson...my family...and I finally have a way to show that I appreciate you. Just let me help you, Greg."  
>   
> Greg sat there looking up at his godfather blankly, trying his best not to let the fact that his offer was because of his dad make him furious. He said nothing, still thinking about his options and what he really wanted to do. His thoughts were interrupted as his uncle laid a hand on his shoulder. "Just think about it, Greg. I have to go. My driver was the one calling me earlier. He's here. Anyway, give me a call when you make up your mind. Tell your mother that I hope she feels better."  
>   
> Max walked to the door, only to pause as he glanced at the doorknob with Greg's fingerprints impressed into the metal. He turned his head to give Greg one more glance. "By the way, do you happen to have picked out a name yet?"  
>   
> "Yeah...I'm Superior."  
>   
> The small smile on Max's face became a full blown grin as he heard Greg's reply. Despite the smile on his face, his eyes seemed to have a dark gleam to them. "Superior...huh. I think I can work with that."  
>   
> With that said, he walked out, closing the door behind him gently.  
>   
> Greg sat by himself in the living room with only his troubled thoughts and the quiet sounds of his mother's dry heaving to keep him company.  
>   
> \---------------------------------------------------------------------  
> 3:30 PM  
> \---------------------------------------------------------------------  
>   
> Greg gently opened the doors to his mother's bedroom, careful not to let the hinges make much noise. Gentle mumbling came from the figure in his arms and Greg rolled his eyes with a slight frown on his face. His mom was sweaty, unconscious and still in her work clothes but he didn't mind taking care of her. In fact, he liked it. It made him feel like he was worth something. Helping his mom, taking care of her, making her meals in bed when she was sick...he felt good to do stuff like that.  
>   
> After his mother had exhausted herself heaving and retching down the toilet, she had passed out on the floor of the bathroom. He knew his mom. His mom did not drink...anymore, at least. The last time she behaved like this was when his father had left and she took to alcohol to comfort her, drinking like a fish almost everyday after work. She had only stopped when he had asked her why she was drinking like dad. The shock of him saying that had been enough to send her to tears. She had gone cold turkey soon after, not touching alcohol for more than a year and a half since.  
>   
> Greg sighed as he walked towards her queen bed. This made no sense at all. She only drank when she felt devastated...or hopeless.  
>   
> Why though? Yes, they were in a bit of a rough situation but it was far from hopeless. Greg knew he had made enemies with two of the major gangs in the city. That much was true...but, then again, one of those gangs was crippled. Cut off the head and whatever. Lung was the head of the ABB. Without him, the ABB didn't have the firepower to stand up to the Merchants or the E88 with only Oni Lee. Not to mention, the E88 wouldn't want to make an enemy of someone that had beaten Lung, right? So that was one problem gone. What else could it be?  
>   
> Greg placed her into bed slowly, making sure not to disturb her rest. He grimaced at the wine and food stains on his mother's scrubs as he covered her up. He knew that it wasn't the best idea to put her to bed in stained, sweaty clothes. However, even though he and his mother were close, he did not feel okay with undressing her. 'No way, I've read Oedipus Rex. That way lies bad things.' Besides, he hated his dad but he didn't want to kill him.  
>   
> Walking out slowly, Greg carefully closed the double doors behind him with a slight ' _klik.'_  
>   
>  " _Greeeeeggieeee,"_ came a soft moan from inside the room.  
>   
> "Oh, come on," mouthed Greg.  
>   
> With a sigh, he opened the doors to the master bedroom. "Yes, Mom?"  
>   
> Susan Veder lay in her bed, red-rimmed eyes half open, hair tousled and face sweaty. "Wheeeree's Max?"  
>   
> "He left an hour ago, Mom."  
>   
> "Dish ooo talk?", she mumbled.  
>   
> Greg walked in and sat at the foot of her bed. "Yeah, we did. He offered me a job...as MedHall's spokeshero."  
>   
> "Ohhh, I rememma dat. He said sumfing like dat. Anyfing spessha, perks or sumfing?"  
>   
> Greg smiled slightly. "Yeah, he said he can give me cars, money, tech...even my own base. A cool superhero HQ. That sounds good, right?"  
>   
> "Mmmmhmmmm...do ooo wanna...work wif Max?", she asked with a yawn.  
>   
> Greg shrugged. "I dunno, Mom. He seems...okay but he kinda reminds me of Dad and he really only did it because Dad called him and told him to watch over me and...that's enough for me to not take the job."  
>   
> Susan patted Greg on the arm softly. "Nooo, baby. Max'sh real nice. He's real nice. He's a gooood guy. Ooooo can trust hiiiim."  
>   
> With a sigh, Greg turned away. "I don't know, Mom. Maybe you're right...but what if you're not? It's not like I don't wanna work for him. It's just the way he acts, you know. It's like Dad...but less in your face, more subtle. I just don't want to make a stupid decision..." Greg sighed again and put his head in his palms. "I dunno...what do you think I should do?...Mom?"  
>   
> Before he even lifted his head, Greg could hear the gentle snoring that told him his mother was asleep. He stood up from the foot of her bed and walked to her side, lifting up the covers to make sure she was properly under them. That done, he walked out of her room as gently as possible. On instinct, he reached for her door only to pause and shake his head. 'No...I already learned that lesson once.'  
>   
> Greg walked into his room and dropped himself down on his bed, face up staring at a poster of Eidolon on his ceiling. 'I still haven't made a decision...but why do I have to? It hasn't even been one goddamn day since I took down Lung. But...I still have to think about it. New Wave's definitely out. Max was right. They're a family group. I'd be the odd guy out. I'd upset their whole dynamic or whatever. That just leaves me with the Wards or...Uncle Max. If I join the Wards, I have a team...maybe friends, equipment and the entire government behind me. Not to mention, Miss Militia seems pretty cool. She even gave me her personal number. But joining the Wards means I also have to deal with a lot of questions and judgement and that's not even talking about...Armsmaster.'  
>   
> Greg sighed and turned over, thoughts still racing. 'If I join up with MedHall, I get money, toys, a base, cars...but there's Uncle Max. Dad could show up too. This could just be his way of getting me to like my dad and I really don't want to deal with shit like that right now. What do I do?'  
>   
> Glancing around his room slowly, Greg decided to try something. "Evron, if you're here...could you please help me out? Tell me what to do...PLEASE!"  
>   
> "........"  
>   
> "........"  
>   
>  _"beep-beep-beep-beep"_  
>   
>  "The hell...?" Greg sat up in his bed as something began to beep in a clear, loud tone. Getting up from his bed, Greg began to search around his room as the beeping got louder and louder. 'What is that?' He opened his closet and searched up and down....'Not Here!' Dropping to his stomach, he checked under the bed. 'No!'  
>   
>  _"BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP!!!"_  
>   
>  "Where is it?!" Greg paused and forced himself to calm down. 'Okay, focus. You have super hearing. Just use it.' Closing his eyes, Greg tried to concentrate on only his auditory senses. The beeping only got louder and louder as he focused...where was it? Where was it? Damn it, where was it? THERE! Greg rushed to his dresser and reached under it, the beeping still getting louder. Feeling the sensation of a small metallic object, he pulled it out.  
>   
> 'What?' In his hand was the tiny silver disk that Evron used to project his holograms all the time. The beeping suddenly stopped and a six inch hologram of Evron appeared. The hologram looked directly at Greg, who was already confused and rather irritated by having to look for this thing.  
>   
> "I teach you how to use your powers, not to live your life. The answer is no. Figure it out yourself." And with that, the hologram disappeared.  
>   
> Greg stared at the small disk in his palm, unsure of what to think. "Well, thank you very much. It's not like I have to make a super important decision that could affect the rest of my life. No...I don't need help at all...How often are you listening in anyway?"  
>   
> He finally settled on annoyance.  
>   
> Greg sighed and sat on the floor, back against the wall. "What am I supposed to do? I need a sign..." Greg glanced up to see a decal of Legend that he placed above his bed. Above the blue-suited laser hero, the words "Do the Right Thing" were emblazoned on his wall. "...or a poster. Huh...why did I ever put that on my wall in the first place?" Pulling himself up, Greg walked to the bedside and picked up his slow, blocky smartphone. It was crap, like most affordable smartphones were but it was useful.  
>   
> He dialed the number on his phone and waited as it rang. After only a few rings, someone picked up.  
>   
> "Hello, this is..." Greg paused as he took one last moment to consider his actions. This was the point of no return. If he went through with this, his life would never be the same. It didn't matter anyway. His mother had his back no matter what he chose, he knew that for sure but...did he really want to go through with this?  
>   
> Yes, yes he did. He had already made his decision...and he was fine with it.  
>   
> "This is Superior. I've decided."
> 
>  

 


	28. PHO/Taylor Interlude

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**♦Topic: Lung Taken Down?  
In: Boards ► News ► Events ► America ► Brockton Bay**  
  
**RandomCapeGeek** (Original Poster) (The Guy In The Know) (Cape Groupie)  
Posted on April 12, 2011:  
  
Okay, I'm new to Brockton Bay. I've been here just over a year so I don't know all the intricacies of this crazy city. I mean, I know the basics.  
  
There's capes. Other than New Wave, the Wards and the Protectorate, most of the capes in Brockton are villains.  
  
Everybody knows Lung is the strongest and baddest villain in Brockton Bay. Shit, he's probably the strongest villain on the East Coast.  
  
He beat the entire Protectorate! He beat New Wave!  
He kicks all the ass!!!  
  
LUNG DOESN'T LOSE!....except last night, he kinda did.  
  
Last night after most of the fighting between the gangs was over, Lung was rampagng by the Docks. An hour later, there was a report that Armsmaster brought in Lung...BY HIMSELF.  
  
Looks like Armsmaster's the baddest cape in Brockton now.  
  
**(Showing Page 6 of 57)**

  
**► peoplewatcher**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
This is really awesome for Armsmaster. He's getting the credit he deserves.  
  
 **► hiddenthoughts**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
I know. It's so freakin cool. I bet Dragon couldn't even have soloed Lung.  
  
 **► bangerwithcash**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
I call BULLSHIT! Lung would never go down like a bitch. Armsmaster's a Tinker. Lung is LUNG.  
  
 **► Bank_Breaker**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
@bangerwithcash: Really? Armsmaster's like the best Tinker in America. If anyone could take out Lung, he could.  
  
 **► legostomper**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
@bangerwithcash: Armsmaster is badass. Lung's a Brute but that's it. In a year from now, he'll still have the same powers. Armsmaster's a Tinker. He can make anything, man, ANYTHING.  
  
 **► King Of Ancients**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
@bangerwithcash: This is Halbeard we're talking about. He's the #2 Tinker on the planet. He could solo Lung if he planned ahead.  
  
 **► Kpopqueen**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
@bangerwithcash: Lung takes time to get stronger, Armsmaster probably took him down before he could get too strong.  
  
 **► Nerd With A Cause** (Cape Groupie)  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
You guys are all so wrong!!! I agree that Tinkers are badass but maybe try to hop off of Armsmaster's dick. Have you never heard of Toybox? Armsmaster's barely in the top 10. Go HERE to educate yourself, plebes.  
  
User recieved an infraction for this post.  
  
 **► Bank_Breaker**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
@Nerd With A Cause: Wow, you just proved how stupid you are. All of those capes are super specialized (Except for Dragon). They couldn't do shit to Armsmaster if he prepared. Armsmaster is all about making stuff smaller and better. He can make their shit and kick their ass with it.  
  
 **► legostomper**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
@Nerd With A Cause: You're so ridiculous. People used to think of Armsmaster as the next Hero. Do you know what that means? Armsmaster could be Triumvirate level one day.  
  
 **► Nerd With A Cause** (Cape Groupie)  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
I don't have to say anything else. I know I'm right. You're all just too stupid to understand that.  
  
User has recieved an infraction for this post.  
  
 **► Tin_Mother** (Moderator)  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
@Nerd With A Cause: Try not to insult other members. If you have to make a point, insults are not conducive to persuasiveness.  
  
 **► bangerwithcash**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
Okay, all of you think that you're so fucking smart. Did any of you actually see what the Docks look like? Take a look right fucking HERE. You see that, that's the shit Lung did.  
Tell me if you think your precious Halbeard could handle that shit.  
  
 **► littleJOHN**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
...Wow. Looks like a nuke hit the Docks. I heard an explosion last night but I didn't think...wow.  
  
 **► doublehander**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
I saw the explosion last night but I was real far from the Docks. I didn't think it was this bad. Fuck it, I'm calling it. Armsy's a Tinker not a Brute. No way he fought Lung. That report's definitely bull.  
  
 **► Thoughtbroker**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
Anyone notice the ground in the later pics? Those are footprints. Giant footprints. Lung would have to be pretty fucking big to make those prints. Armsmaster didn't do this solo. I doubt he did it at all.  
  
 **► dead_man_dancing**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
That's some serious shit. That's almost like a quarter of the Docks fucked up. I wonder how many people fucking died.  
  
 **► legostomper**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
@Thoughtbroker: The PRT wouldn't lie about this. Armsmaster beat Lung and he did it solo. Maybe it was lucky, maybe not but Armsmaster still won! Deal with it!  
  
 **► lightningpork**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
Everyone who says that Armsmaster beat Lung might want to look at these. I have picture of Lung right HERE. Warning, they're not pretty.  
  
 **► EmoRap**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
...that's not Lung. And also...gross.  


**End of Page. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 ... 55 , 56, 57**  
  
**(Showing Page 10 of 57)**

  
**► Asstech**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
I have to agree with everyone else. That's definitely not Lung. I'm pretty sure that Armsmaster just beat some new Case 53 half to death. Cause I didn't realize he was that fucking brutal, man.  
  
 **► Alienator**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
No, no...just no. This is fucked up! That's some cape brutality. If that's Lung, that's really shitty. If it's some new Case 53, that's even more fucked up. The eyes are all stabbed and shit. The skull is caved in, man! The Protectorate can't do this shit!  
  
 **► creepycreep**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
No way that's Lung. Armsy definitely beat up some random Case 53.  
  
 **► Oreolicker**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
The PRT wouldn't lie about this being Lung. Maybe something happened to him.  
  
 **► blackcopters**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
@Oreolicker: The PRT and the Protectorate are government organizations. The govt. always lies.  
  
 **► creepycreep**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
@blackcopters: Thanks, bro but we don't need your craziness right now.  
  
 **► blackcopters**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
@Oreolicker: Really? Cause I know what happened to Lung. I found out after doing some research.  
  
 **► RandomCapeGeek** (Original Poster) (The Guy In The Know) (Cape Groupie)  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
@blackcopters: I know I'm going to regret this but...what do you know?  
  
 **► Asstech**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
No! Don't feed him!  
  
 **► blackcopters**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
Apparently, Lung got kidnapped by this secret government group who steal powers from capes and sell them for a lot of money. He killed some of the people trapping him, escaped from their secret hideout and stole one of their Trump powers. It fucked him up and made him really angry and he lost his mind when he got back to Brockton Bay and transformed from human to a real giant dragon. Because he works for the government, they sent Armsmaster out to silence Lung and told him not to hold back.  
  
 **► RandomCapeGeek** (Original Poster) (The Guy In The Know) (Cape Groupie)  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
@blackcopters:...Why did I even ask? That was so ridiculous...on like every level.  
  
 **► cathead**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
That was a new type of crazy.  
  
 **► Magic_Mikey**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
So, if Lung is red instead of silver now, how did that happen?  
  
 **► LoserTed**  
Replied on April 12, 2011:  
@Magic_Mikey: I'm gonna say...Fuckin Trumps.  
  


**End of Page. 1, 2, 3 ... 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 ... 55 , 56, 57**  
  
**(Showing Page 31 of 57)**

  
**► RandomCapeGeek** (Original Poster) (The Guy In The Know) (Cape Groupie)  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
Okay, I just got some BIG news from my friend at the PRT. Armsmaster didn't beat Lung. He took Lung in but someone else soloed the big bad dragon. Some kid triggered and then went out on his first night and took Lung down. Only reason Armsmaster got the cred is because he tranqued both Lung and the kid when they were too tired to fight back.  
  
 **► legostomper**  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
So, Armsmaster really didn't do it, huh?  
  
 **► cathead**  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
@legostomper: No, apparently some kid did. This is crazy, right? Am I the only one who thinks this is insane?  
  
 **► LoserTed**  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
Man, first we had the Mini-Alexandria, Glory Girl, and her sister, Panacea and now we've got this rookie who destroyed Lung his first day out. Young capes are just getting stronger.  
  
 **► AdamRuinsEverything** (The Guy In The Know) (Veteran Member)  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
What I find most surprising about all this is that Armsmaster would just tranq this new cape like that and claim the credit. Then again, I don't know Armsmaster personally so for all I know, he could be a serial killer that preys on criminals in his spare time. Wait...who am I kidding? That's ridiculous.  
  
 **► Killerdave**  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
@AdamRuinsEverything: It is ridiculous. Where do you even come up with bullshit like that?.....................................Everyone knows that's Shadow Stalker's job.  
  
 **► Pitch44**  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
Anybody know anything else about this new cape? Ratings? Is he just a Brute?  
  
 **► Newx3**  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
He's definitely a high level Brute. He fought new Lung, didn't he?  
  
 **► bangerwithcash**  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
@Pitch44: The guy just triggered two days ago. No one was even there to see him fight. Why would there be any real info on him? Don't be dumb.  
  
 **► Top_Gunner**  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
I got a pic of the new cape. Check it out. Blond hair, Blue eyes, and he made his first target Lung. Seems like the Empire's wet dream. HERE you go.  
  
 **► RandomCapeGeek** (Original Poster) (The Guy In The Know) (Cape Groupie)  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
...That's just a kid. Like, literally. He looks fourteen. I've got a little brother his age. This is insane.  
  
 **► Asstech**  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
@RandomCapeGeek: How is that what you're focused on? It's not like there's other more important things in this picture like his head bleeding, or maybe his chest being cut open or...I don't know...the fact that HE'S NOT WEARING A FUCKING MASK!!!  
  
 **► RandomCapeGeek** (Original Poster) (The Guy In The Know) (Cape Groupie)  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
@Asstech: I noticed all that stuff but I was just struck with how young he looks, Even if I had Eidolon's powers, I'd still be kind of scared to fight Lung. And this kid did it.  
  
 **► LoserTed**  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
I know what you mean, man. This kid looks so...normal. I guess with the mask, it's easy to forget that they're just people under there.  
  
 **► RandomCapeGeek** (Original Poster) (The Guy In The Know) (Cape Groupie)  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
I can't believe Armsmaster tried to steal credit from this kid. Especially on his first night out. Dick move, broh.  


**End of Page. 1, 2, 3 ... 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 ... 55 , 56, 57**  
  
**(Showing Page 44 of 57)**

  
**► SpecificProtagonist**  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
Oh...My...God. I know this guy. Like, I seriously, literally, know him.  
  
 **► Asstech**  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
@ SpecificProtagonist: Come on, tell us! Who is he?  
  
 **► SpecificProtagonist**  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
Can I actually say it? You're not supposed to out capes.  
  
 **► legostomper**  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
You're not supposed to but he's already outed anyway. These pictures of his face are all over the internet. It's not like telling us anything else is going to make anything worse.  
  
 **► blackcopters**  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
It's true. The guy's secret is toast by this point. He's gone full New Wave at this point.  
  
 **► creepycreep**  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
@blackcopters: No, you never go full New Wave!  
  
 **► SpecificProtagonist**  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
  
 **BLOCKED**  
  
► **Tin_Mother (Moderator)**  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
It is an individual cape's decision to choose whether to go public with their identity or not.  
Until then, all speculations will be held and any further attempts to out this cape will result in immediate one-month suspensions for the offending party.

  
**► RandomCapeGeek** (Original Poster) (The Guy In The Know) (Cape Groupie)  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
Ok, so definite Brute, likely a Mover and enemies with Empire and ABB.  
  
**► LoserTed**  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
I wonder what this guy is really like. All we know about him is that he's a Brute tough enough to turn Lung's face into....hamburger meat? Yeah? Hamburger meat. Maybe he's a Trump too? Cause that would explain Lung.  
  
**► Clockblocker** (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
You guys talking about Superior? He's pretty cool...for a Brute, you know.  
  
**► RandomCapeGeek** (Original Poster) (The Guy In The Know) (Cape Groupie)  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
@Clockblocker: His name's Superior? Not bad. Pretty cool name, actually. Any more details? Does he have a Trump rating?  
  
**► Clockblocker** (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
I'm pretty sure he doesn't have a Trump rating. Honestly, he's kinda like Glory Girl. They're both blond Brutes who can get really scary.  
  
**► Asstech**  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
Scary how?  
  
**► Monkeydewnot**  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
Yeah, scary how?  
  
**► Clockblocker** (Verified Cape) (Wards ENE)  
Replied on April 13, 2011:  
I'm not going to say much. Just know that Superior's a lot like Glory Girl.  
  
**End of Page. 1, 2, 3 ... 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 ... 55 , 56, 57**  
  
  


■

  
**♦ Private message from All_Seeing_Eye:**

  
**All_Seeing_Eye:** So, you ready for tomorrow?  
 **Spider_Queen:** I'm still not a hundred percent sure about this.  
 **All_Seeing_Eye:** I get it. You're scared about the job.  
 **Spider_Queen:** No! It's not that I don't want to. I just didn't think want to think that the Protectorate weren't really good guys but I saw what Armsmaster did. And the way they just labeled you guys like that. It was just so unfair! You guys haven't even done anything actually...villainy but a heist? That sounds bad, like seriously bad.  
 **All_Seeing_Eye:** Trust me, the bank's covered with insurance and it's not like anyone's actually going to get hurt. Nothing actually bad is going to happen.  
 **Spider_Queen:** I just don't know if I can do this.  
 **All_Seeing_Eye:** Really? This coming from the girl who helped put down Lung?  
 **Spider_Queen:** No one else knows that I was there.  
 **All_Seeing_Eye:** Your team knows. We know what you can do. Come on, you know you got this.  
 **Spider_Queen:** I guess so.  
 **All_Seeing_Eye:** K, meet us at the hideout at 4 tomorrow.  
 **Spider_Queen:** Sure, see you there.  
  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	29. Interlude 2e: Armsmaster/Colin Wallis

"She's still doing it...It's been exactly forty-nine days since she started and she hasn't changed since."  
  
"Hmmm..."  
  
"It's rather odd. I suspect that the excessive damage she accrued while in Canberra might have caused a change in behavior."  
  
"...yes..."  
  
"Although, that's unlikely. She has received damage before. Not quite to that extent, but still...I don't understand why she just keeps smiling like that."  
  
"...mmhmmm..."  
  
"It makes no sense. She has displayed expressions before but they were for short instances. It goes against all the data I've compiled on her."  
  
"...interesting..."  
  
"...Although, the cause of the odd behavior might be that mysterious parahuman, Hyperion. There's been no trace of him apart from that post on Parahumans Online. He seemed to have some strange connection to the Simurgh and his sudden disappearance...It's troubling to consider the implications. It's just..."  
  
"...this is so..."  
  
"...frustrating." "...complicated."  
  
"What do you think, Colin?"  
  
"...hmm."  
  
"Colin?"  
  
"..."  
  
"...Armsmaster."  
  
"Huh?" Colin Wallis jerked his head upwards from his workstation as Dragon called his name, the strands of silvery material in his hands falling and spreading out on the table in front of him. He whipped his head around in confusion as if shocked at the realization that he wasn't alone in his lab. With his mouth slightly agape in surprise, he spoke. "...Dragon?"  
  
"Hello, Colin. I arrived over ten minutes ago and until this point, I thought we were having a conversation. Or was that just me?" The voice of the Canadian tinker came through the speakers in a dispassionate tone with a slight undercurrent of irritation. Any normal man would realize the shift in tone and act accordingly.  
  
Armsmaster stretched, cracking his neck with a series of uncomfortable popping noises, and rubbed his rather unkempt beard. "Oh...I didn't notice you."  
  
Unfortunately for him, Colin Wallis was not a normal man.  
  
Dragon's tone somehow became even colder as she continued to speak, gaining a frigid quality that was unlike her. "You didn't notice me?"  
  
Blinking at the sudden change in tone, Armsmaster paused before speaking, uncomfortably aware of Dragon's likely irritation. In all their previous interactions, Dragon had been cordial, warm even, when she spoke to him. He doubted he did anything to upset her. 'Regardless, I should make an effort to placate her. If I engage her in conversation, she should relax somewhat. Females enjoy speaking about their problems.'  
  
"I apologize, Dragon. I was busy Tinkering and was unaware that you had arrived. If I had known, I would have spoken to you. I do enjoy our discussions."  
'Calm delivery, pleasant and non-agressive tone, passive language. Excellent for dealing with an emotional female.'  
  
Colin had recently taken to reading women's magazines, mostly due to the fact that he spent a lot of his time around females. He believed it was helping him interpret female social cues. It wasn't. He had, however, learned that Cosmopolitan seemed to have more 'Ways to Blow His Mind' than the Kama Sutra.  
  
Dragon didn't say anything for a bit before letting out a sigh. "...You've shut down all your video screens and you haven't been answering your phone or your communicator. Colin, when was the last time you left your lab?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"When did you last leave your lab?", she repeated calmly.  
  
"I admit that I have been distant over the past f-"  
  
"Colin...look at yourself. Look around you. You're a mess."  
  
Colin sighed, rubbing a hand through his unruly beard and glanced around at his lab, the edges of his mouth turned downwards into a small scowl. Papers and equipment were in disarray, thrown all over the usually pristine lab. Multiple beakers of his own specialized, caffeine-based stimulant were left unwashed and his suit sat on the floor, scattered without care. Noticing a mirror in the corner of his eye, he turned to face it, cringing as he finally caught sight of himself.  
  
"Look at this. This isn't like you," she continued, her voice almost pleading.  
  
He closed his eyes. Dragon was all too right. He didn't recognize himself at all. He was efficient, neat, ordered and practical above all else. However, the man in front of him was a disgusting mess. He was wearing a gray t-shirt and a pair of gray fleece jogger pants that had honestly seen better days. Stains were all over his clothes. Sweat, grease, oil and other mysterious substances coated his outfit. Rips and burns marred his clothes while his face and bare arms were stained with grease and oil stains. Red-rimmed eyes stared back at him while the skin around them were puffy and inflamed from his lack of sleep. Worst of all was his most prized feature...his beard. His once meticulously combed facial hair was overgrown, matted, rough and full of various crumbs and remains of the few meals he had consumed over his self-enforced exile.  
  
Honestly, the way he looked now, he would fit right in with Skidmark, Squealer and the rest of their Merchant scum. Grimacing, he turned away from his reflection and hung his head.  
  
This was not like him at all. He was Armsmaster. He was the epitome of efficiency, order, and protocol. He made it his duty to make sure the Protectorate ran smoothly. He took it upon himself to reduce the ongoing rise of crime in Brockton Bay. People knew him. People respected him. A certain level of prestige would always be out of his reach and he was aware of that. He knew he could never be on the same level as his mentor. He could never be a hero like Hero but he received respect for his own actions. At least, he used too. New, young parahumans...powerful enough to one day be considered on the same level as the Triumvirate. Dauntless...Glory Girl...and that...that Superior boy...they were unskilled, true, but they would only get better. He was nearing the limits of what his Tinkering could do and as he got older, his training would become less and less useful.  
  
"...three days. It's been three days but I have been busy Tinkering. I haven't had time to leave," Armsmaster answered, frowning slightly.  
  
"Don't lie to me, Colin. From what I can see, you haven't taken a single step outside of this area since we last spoke three days ago. I doubt you've even showered...or slept. What's wrong?"  
  
Armsmaster leaned against his workstation with his arms folded, a cloudy expression on his face. "Is this what you wanted to speak about?"  
  
"No. I wanted to speak about the Simurgh."  
  
Colin sighed. "Again? We've been over this." And they had. Several times, in fact. When Dragon had informed him that the Simurgh had been...smiling, his interest was piqued. One of the Endbringers displaying abnormal behavioral patterns was obviously a matter of extreme importance. However, there was only so many times that a man could look at video of a angelic murderbeast smiling serenely before he felt incredibly bored with the topic, especially when nothing else about her behavior had changed.  
  
"I said that I wanted to. Right now, I feel that helping you is more important. Now, just tell me why you're behaving like this. Is it because of Lung and the new cape? The way you explained the matter to me, it made sense. I understood that you were trying to pro-"  
  
"No," Armsmaster interrupted firmly. "It's not that."  
  
"Well, then enlighten me...what is it?"  
  
He didn't respond. Instead, he walked over to a screen embedded into the wall next to the door leading out of his lab and quickly pressed a few buttons on the panel just below it.  
  
The screen turned on, displaying the face of a young woman with facial features that were rather beautiful. Despite the fact that Dragon had never mentioned it, Armsmaster knew it wasn't Dragon's real appearance. The face in front of him was so unremarkable that it was actually remarkable. Nearly everyone who looked at it would find something familiar about it while still thinking it was rather pretty. It was uncanny exactly how average it was. Regardless, he still liked to talk to Dragon "face-to-face."  
  
"Colin?"  
  
"...I was demoted."  
  
"Demoted? When?", Dragon asked, eyes widening slightly in shock.  
  
"Three days ago..."  
  
"I spoke to Miss Militia and Director Piggot just yesterday. They didn't mention anything like this to me."  
  
"Well, that's because it's an...unofficial demotion. Nothing's actually on record...but everyone still knows. Miss Militia will be handling my duties...," he paused, scowling fiercely, "...indefinitely and I am to dedicate my time towards improving myself and my...behavior. At least, until Director Piggot feels that I am suitable to resume my position as Leader of the Brockton Bay Protectorate. All of this because of...that boy," he finished, nearly growling the last few words.  
  
Dragon's face fell as she heard him speak. "Colin..."  
  
He bent over his workstation, fists clenched, his back to Dragon.  
  
"This city needs me! There's no doubt that Kaiser's going to expand with the ABB as weak as it is now. Lung may be in custody but the ABB isn't going to let that stop them for long. Last time, the ABB, the Empire and the Merchants were just testing each other, barely even fighting." Colin let out a heavy breath, his shoulders shaking in anger.  
  
"Now, all we have to look forward to is a gang war that will destroy this entire city instead of a mere riot that spilled out into the streets. And...that boy...Superior...I've read the notes on his files. He's not a natural parahuman. He's the product of a Tinker. Maybe even a group of Tinkers that specialize in power-granting. We're possibly looking at an army of raging capes on his level...This city needs me more than ever....and she wants me out of the way, says I need to improve! Me? All I do is improve!!! Every single day, I get better, more efficient and that...that woman wants to criticize me? Me, the only person in this worthless organization that works himself to the bone to be the very best! This is my life! I do nothing else! Everyone else goes home and I'm here for days at a time, working and improving! And Piggot wants to sideline **ME**?!!" Colin punctuated his anger by slamming his fists on a workstation, the action sending beakers crashing to the floor and scattering papers all over.  
  
Piggot truly enraged him. A woman blinded by her fear. She was terrified of another cape with capabilities similar to Nilbog and at the same time was worried about the PR fallout from his actions against that same boy. How dare she? She wasn't there. She didn't feel the murderous rage rolling off that cape. At the time, Colin didn't care about whether he was a boy or not. He was ready to kill and Armsmaster had responded in a calm, moderate manner to prevent the boy from hurting him and inflicting more damage on his already mutilated body. And he was punished for that. He should be commended for his actions. Miss Militia would have responded to imminent death like that with a massive RPG. Battery, the hothead that she was, would have tried to punch his head off. Assault, being a former villain, would have responded with the lethal action at his first opportunity. Dauntless, that jackass, who knows what that fool would have done? 'Pathetic.'  
  
Dragon said nothing, simply staring at Armsmaster as he finished his outburst. This definitely wasn't like Colin. He never showed his emotions like this. She wasn't even sure what to say at this point other than "Are you okay?"  
  
Colin took many deep, ragged breaths as his powerful, muscled arms clenched the edges of the metal workstation. "I'll be fine. I admit that I am rather stressed but it comes with the job after all...It's just...I know that Piggot doesn't understand what she's doing by demoting me. She didn't even listen to Miss Militia's protests. Piggot's not out there with us, fighting, patrolling, keeping Brockton safe. She knows nothing about what this city's underbelly is like. In fact, Clockblocker knows more about the behavior of the criminal capes in Brockton than she does. She sits in her office all day, thinking she understands how this city works. She barely knows a thing...and I just know this city's going to end up paying the price for it."  
  
Colin took one more deep breath and let it out slowly, his heart rate lowering to what he felt was appropriate. He stood up straight and faced his fellow Tinker with a weak smile on his face. "Dragon, would you mind excusing me for a while? I have something rather important to work on. I'll contact you after I've finished."  
  
Dragon returned his weak smile with one of her own. She knew Armsmaster was stressed but this...this was unexpected. He was near his breaking point. She cared for Colin and if he needed his space, she would acquiesce to his request. Honestly, she was glad that he felt comfortable enough around her to speak like this as well as oddly reassured to see him this free with his feelings. It wasn't that she wanted him to feel stressed, of course not. It was simply that often, when she and Armsmaster would talk, she tended to feel that she was more human among the two of them. She appreciated Armsmaster's determination but sometimes he was much too focused. He needed moments like this, if only to release some pent-up aggression. "Okay...It'll get better, Colin. Just remember, you're Armsmaster for a reason. She knows how much you're needed. It's only a matter of time."  
  
Colin's smile increased as she said that and Dragon felt _something_ at the thought that she could improve his mood with just a few words. "Goodbye, Colin...and try to get some rest."  
  
And with that, the screen shut down and the lab was left in silence once more.  
  
'I'm sorry, Dragon, but I have too much work to do to rest now. I'll sleep when I'm dead.' And he meant it. Colin Wallis hadn't had a single moment of rest in over forty-eight hours, relying on only his non-combat stimulant shots, a specialized mixture comprised of norepinephrine, epinephrine, caffeine and a slight amount of amphetamines. He needed to finish his work before he could even think of rest. His life really depended on it.  
  
Colin turned back to his workstation, a small smile still on his face, and as he looked down at the silvery threads on the table in front of him, his smile only increased.  
  
Superior...that boy...was definitely the product of more than one Tinker. At the very least, he had to be affiliated with two skilled Tinkers. One to grant him the rather incredible powers that he had displayed in his melee against Lung and another to make the suit that he had worn into the fight.  
  
That suit lay in front of him, most of it split apart into long, thin metallic threads. He had no idea why he had decided to keep it that night when the PRT EMT's had cut it off him. The thing was burnt and tattered, little more than shreds after the boy had gotten pummeled by Lung. It had seemed worthless but now...he definitely wasn't complaining. It was a goldmine.  
  
Impact resistant...Resilient against extremes of heat...Water repellent...Self-repairing and Self-cleaning...A paper-thin body armor constructed entirely from nanobots and nanomaterial. It was designed with high-power rechargeable batteries with nanoscale solar panels as well as a digital storage capacity that would be able to store the files of the entire Protectorate while running all his programs simultaneously a hundred times over. A truly incredible piece of technology...except for the fact that it wasn't.  
  
It wasn't really the suit that was impressive, no. It wasn't the design, not at all. Honestly, Armsmaster knew he could design something much better if he put his mind to it. It was the material that had shocked him. Anyone who knew what they were doing could make a suit out of these programmable nanobots and this flexible nanomaterial. After some investigation, he had noticed the suit that Superior had on seemed not just shoddy, but hastily constructed as well. Almost as if the Tinker who had made it was not only lacking in skill but in somewhat of a rush. The more Armsmaster looked at the suit, the more his Tinker sense seemed to scream at him that the work was lazy, shoddy, and worst of all... **INEFFICIENT**.  
  
That could not stand. For over three days, he had used the allure of the suit's impressive design to take his thoughts away from the embarrassment Piggot had caused him by stripping him of his position. He was all too glad for the distraction. Since that night, his mind had been racing with a multitude of methods he could use in an attempt to improve the suit's capabilities, ways that he could implement the material in his other works...including his weaponry. After all, he had already been working on nano-scale weapons. This would only serve to raise the quality of his work to new heights. Now, he didn't have to worry about limits, about diminishing returns, about losing the respect he had fought tooth and nail for. With Tinker-tech like this, even Dauntless, the rising star of Brockton Bay, would be little more than an ant compared to him. He would never have to worry about living up to Hero's legacy. Once he finished this project, the name Armsmaster would be spoken in the same breath as any of the Triumvirate.  
  
He chuckled slowly, an unexplained feeling of mirth rising up inside him. After struggling and failing to hold it in, Colin gave in to the spontaneous and uncharacteristic surge of emotion and threw his head back, letting out a deep belly laugh as he thought about what the future could hold. Armsmaster, Head of the National Protectorate. Why not? Hero had always told him to reach for the stars. No matter what it took, Brockton Bay was going to be safe and under control...his control.  
  
It seemed like Dragon had been right after all. It was only a matter of time.


	30. Complications 2.7A

The Brockton Bay Central Bank was busy as usual. Dozens of people waited in several lines to accomplish their banking-based errands.  
  
Among those in need of the bank's services was New Wave's own Panacea, although as she wasn't in costume, she liked to be referred to as Amy.  
  
Today wasn't a good day for Amy, not at all. Her sister had spent most of the school day nuzzling up to her boyfriend and that had stirred up a hornet's nests of emotions that she didn't really feel like analyzing. Not to mention, Chris had been trying to talk to ask her out in his own subtle way. His methods were obviously less than subtle if Vicky could pick up on it. Now she had to hope that Vicky didn't try to set up her own 'Glorious Date!!!'( **™** ) for her and Chris.  
  
However, the cause of her irritation right now was something a bit more petty.  
  
'Oh, hurry up...'  
  
'...come on, what are you even doing?'  
  
'Oh God and Scion, what I would give for some special treatment right now? Would it be too much to ask for my own line? I save lives here!'  
  
The bank itself was the issue.  
  
Amy had always disliked banks and she felt she was perfectly justified in feeling that way. And why shouldn't she?  
  
They combined several things she hated into one big, annoying place and Brockton Bay Central was no different.  
  
Long lines, customers in front of her who always had ridiculous and complicated transactions, and the annoying tellers. Scion, she hated those tellers.  
  
The second they saw her name, they always wanted to talk to her about something stupid before she could get done with her actual bank-related business. Always so fake and smiley. Asking her about her day, her family, her fucking entire life story. She knew that they knew that she knew they didn't care.  
  
They were doing it for one reason and one reason only.  
  
_  
'Oh, Panacea, I think I might have the flu. Can you help me out?'_  
  
'It's not flu...and for wasting my time, you have AIDS.'  
  
  
_'Panacea, please help me out. My girlfriend's gonna dump me! Just an inch or two.'_  
  
'Fuck you and your girlfriend. Oh wait, you can't.... you have no dick.'  
  
  
_'Oh, Panacea, I was thinking about getting plastic surgery. Could you do a gal a favor and boost me up a few cup sizes?'_  
  
'Here...now you'll never need to buy milk again.'  
  
  
_'One favor. You know, we're friends, right. I have this zit right here. Could you help me out?'_  
  
'...Drown in your acne and die.'  
  
  
She had to deal with shit like that all the time. And if she didn't help them out, they'd bitch at her the whole time she was at the teller and make the whole thing take forever. Just once, she wished that she could say or do something instead of just having fun imagining it. 'But no, I'm Panacea, a hero. A hero wouldn't do that.'  
  
Her inner rant against the banking system and the annoying tellers that serviced it was suddenly halted as her ears were suddenly assaulted by a sound that made her freeze for a moment.  
  
A loud noise suddenly came from somewhere outside the bank, like the deep, rough barking of some sort of massive dog. Something about that seemed very familiar...what exactly was familiar about it seemed to be escaping her at the moment, though.  
  
She turned around quickly, trying to see what was going on. Before she could even see the entrance of the bank, everything went black.  
  
For an instant, she thought she was blind.  
  
That instant passed when the darkness began to recede, converging in a dark haze at the center of the bank. As her hearing returned to her, the sound of people's screaming hit her eardrums and she choked on a scream as a swarm of bugs crawled, slithered, creeped, wriggled, squirmed **,** flew from the dark fog and flooded the bank floor. Nearly everyone in the bank rushed back, Amy included, running toward the walls in an attempt to avoid the biblical swarm of insects.  
  
The bugs apparently did not appreciate that as they immediately began to herd everyone towards the center of the bank lobby.  
  
She felt her gut sink even more as a group of costumed individuals appeared from that fading haze. She recognized them on sight. New Wave often held bi-weekly briefings to go over tactics concerning Brockton Bay's villain community and the team in front of them had been the topic of many a discussion.  
  
'The Undersiders...these assholes.'  
  
Tattletale stood in front, a gun in her hand, smirking as her eyes trailed over every single person in the entire bank. Regent stood to her right, a silver crown on his head, twirling a silver scepter around like some demented jester. Grue was on the far left, darkness leaking from his motorcycle helmet and leather long-coat, creating an aura of black fog that surrounded his team. Hellhound stood behind the other three, her arms and legs disproportionately large, grotesquely discolored and covered with bumps, spikes and odd growths. Next to her stood a long-haired figure in a jet-black costume that screamed 'I'm the one with the bugs!' simply from the design of the mask itself.  
  
She didn't know the bug girl's name...which was great.  
  
'Undersiders got a new member. Wonder-fucking-ful...What the...HOLY SHIT!'  
  
All the terrified screams in the Bank ceased almost instantly as something...no, three somethings leapt out of Grue's jacket and everyone in the bank caught sight of something even more terrifying than the supervillains.  
  
If someone had asked Amy if they were dogs, she might have said yes...maybe.  
  
They could have been dogs, right? Possibly.  
  
If dogs were seven feet tall.  
  
If dogs had skin that looked like pulverized hamburger meat left to rot in the sun.  
  
If dogs had teeth the size of butcher knives.  
  
If dogs had giant bone spikes jutting from their skin in random places.  
  
Until they didn't look like they could swallow her whole, the same way a puppy could swallow a treat, she'd never think of them as dogs. No, they were monsters.  
  
Amy's eye twitched as she took in the appearance of the newest villain team to hit Brockton Bay with their massive mounts and she clenched her fist in anger. 'Why did they have to pick now...while I'm still in here? Fuck these guys!'  
  
"Fifteen minutes," spoke the bug girl in a calm, resolute tone. "We won't be here any longer than that. Stay put, stay quiet, stay on the ground. We'll be gone before fifteen minutes are up. You'll be free to give your statement to the police and then go about your day as usual. This isn't a TV show, this isn't a movie. If you're thinking about being a hero, don't. Seriously, don't be a hero. You'll only get yourself or someone else hurt. You see those bugs, they're only in place to prevent you from doing anything stupid. Just stay in the circle. They won't enter that circle unless you give me a reason."  
  
She was really convincing, Amy had to admit that. The instructions were simple, they sounded reasonable and no one wanted to get hurt. After sharing some scared looks among each other, every single person in the bank, herself included, followed her instructions, hesitantly getting on the ground. What was she supposed to do right now? She was strictly touch-based. 'Maybe if they stayed still and didn't move at all for ten seconds, I could knock them out. As if...Scion damnit, fuck banks!'  
  
Fuck banks, indeed. Above every single other reason, there was one major motivation behind Amy's hatred of banks. Something she knew occurred somewhat often but never expected to happen while she was **IN** one. 'I mean, come the fuck on! Right now, though! What are the fucking odds?'  
  
Banks were huge targets for villains. It was a fact. A fact she fucking hated.  
  
As Amy lowered herself to the ground, she eyed the almost uncountable swarm of insects that kept her and all the other hostages corralled in the lobby and noticed the unnatural way all the flying, crawling, slithering bugs were just waiting in place, making a perfect circle around the hostages. God, it was almost creepier this way. Having hundreds of thousands of bugs just in the same room as you was more terrifying than any gun. These guys were good.  
  
With a sigh, Amy curled in on herself and did her best to hide her face. What better hostage could someone have than Panacea? She just knew that Carol would never let her forget about it.  
  
Besides, she really didn't need to be a target today.  
  
  
\---------------------------------------------------  
MedHall Pharmaceuticals  
\---------------------------------------------------  
  
  
His office, like many things Maximus Anders owned, was large and ostentatious. Built on the top floor of a skyscraper with large floor to ceiling windows, it was filled with all sorts of metal sculptures and statues.  
  
Some people would find that odd. After all, Max Anders didn't seem the type to be too into art.  
  
Metal seemed to be a motif for Mr. Anders. At least in design. Metal floor, metal ceiling, metal bookcases, metal chairs and last but certainly not least, a large, ornate and most of all, imposing, metal and glass desk.  
  
Everything in the room screamed wealth, power and influence. If no one stopped him, Greg might have simply poked around it for hours. That is, if his attention wasn't being drawn by the rather courteous verbal battle taking place in front of him.  
  
"Mr. Anders, while your offer does seem to have merit, you have to understand the position we're in. My client is a limited resource that is in high demand," spoke a smooth, cultured voice with a slight Spanish accent.  
  
"Oh, I'm well aware of that. That's why I made him the offer that I did," retorted a voice that was, while not quite as cultured, still rather eloquent.  
  
"...Forgive me if I'm overstepping here, but it just seems like you're trying to cheat him out of a fair deal."  
  
"What? He's my godson. Why would I want to cheat him? I believe that the offer I made is quite generous," Maxim said calmly, settling back into his large leather business chair.  
  
"If you say so..."  
  
Narrowing his eyes slightly, Max stared quietly at the gentleman sitting directly in front of his large ninety-inch ornate metal and glass desk. "I do say so, Mr. Calle," Max replied, his expression still an unperturbed smile.  
  
Quinn Calle chuckled softly, the spit curl from his silky black hair bouncing as his shoulders shook. "The thing is, Mr. Anders, I have made a business of assisting capes. And my assistance is obviously needed in this situation. Ms. Veder called me for a reason...correct?"  
  
Both handsome, well-dressed men slowly turned to face Susan and she immediately shrunk in on herself.  
  
\------------  
  
They were looking at her! Oh my god, they were looking at her! Was she speaking her thoughts? She better not have. That would be so embarrasing! Oh, a question. They asked her a question.  
  
"Umm...well," Susan mumbled, quickly focusing on straightening the jacket of her black pantsuit in an attempt to gather her thoughts. Why, oh why, were they asking her questions? Their conversation...their subtle arguing...GAH! It had just been so distracting and...'Why did they have to be so handsome? A smooth Latin lawyer who puts his life on the line helping capes or a charming CEO with a piercing stare who could have a whole secret life behind closed doors with handcuffs, black latex andwaitwhatamITHINKING? NO, NO, NO! Scion damnit, Susan! Stop reading those books!'  
  
As Susan slowly dragged her mind out of the gutter it was in, she scrambled to think of something to say. She had no idea this whole thing would turn out like this. She only called Mr. Quinn this morning and told him the situation because she had heard that he was one of the best cape lawyers around and she didn't want to go into business without having a good lawyer. She didn't expect him to come right over once she told him the entire situation. She most definitely didn't expect to speak to Max today. She was also pretty sure that she had said some rather inappropriate things to Max during their lunch on Tuesday. 'Oh sweet Scion, they're still looking at me! What should I say? What should I say?'  
  
"I...um...I didn't want...I just thought some legal advice would...be...helpful. Everything was just happening so quickly," she squeaked out.   
  
Whew...they looked away.  
  
\------------------------------------  
  
Mr. Calle's smile achieved a level of satisfaction that Max honestly found rather impressive. Smug without being too smug. Impressive. Many couldn't pull that off.  
  
He turned from Greg's mother and faced Max once more. "You see, Mr. Anders, Ms. Veder just needed some legal advice."  
  
Greg and his mother sighed almost simultaneously as they watched Max once again enter a stare-down with their newly hired lawyer. Both of them still had pleasant smiles on their faces but their observers could almost sense the distaste running between them. Then again, they were two successful men. Massive egos were in play.  
  
"Let's be clear on one thing, Mr. Anders. Mr. Veder here," Quinn paused, glancing over at Greg on his left, "is a limited resource that is in high demand in today's society. Not only is he a rather powerful cape, he's unmasked. The public would flock to him."  
  
Max kept his eyes on Quinn, his demeanor still unruffled. "I do understand your point. However, he's also rather young. What you're asking for seems rather exorbitant given the fact that he's only been out for one night. The public has no idea who he is."  
  
Mr. Calle's smile became positively devious as Max spoke and for a second Max wondered what the man was thinking. He didn't have to wonder much longer.  
  
"You obviously haven't been on the Parahumans Online forum, Mr. Anders. People from New York down to California are clamoring to find out about the cape who defeated Lung. He's almost as popular as that mysterious Hyperion fellow. Youth. Power. Beauty. Mr. Veder has those in spades. He's a precious resource, Mr. Anders. Your company makes more than drugs. You produce soft drinks, teas, soaps, deodorant, and a few other items. In a year or two, Superior will be a household name all over America. Greg could go to other companies, bigger companies. I could have this boy's face on a Nike ad by Monday. You want his name backing your company? Make my client a better offer."  
  
Quinn stopped speaking and the room was silent once again. Although, this time it wasn't due to a staring contest between the two men in suits.  
  
\-----------------------------  
  
In the tense silence that followed, Greg and his mom shared a few looks and more than a few gestures. Greg wasn't sure what half of them meant but he was pretty sure his mom wanted him to say something.  
  
Clearing his throat, Greg leaned forward, freeing himself from the plush lining of the white guest chair. "Uhh...Mr. Calle?"  
  
"Yes, Greg?"  
  
Greg sat up straight and flashed an awkward smile at his godfather and lawyer. Simply being in the same room as these two was stressful. The way they spoke, the way they moved, even their expressions...these guys were just so...rich. Hell, those suits were probably more expensive than his mom's car by themselves. Greg swallowed slowly as he took in their appearances once again.  
  
Despite their differing racial backgrounds, the two men were eerily similar. They both had meticulously styled hair, expensive custom suits (Quinn wore tan, Max wore black), and those scary smiles...Max's was hungry, shark-like, even while Quinn's was patient, sneaky, somewhat like a snake.  
  
Huh...that actually fit. The business shark and the snake-like lawyer.  
Right now, Greg just felt so...out of his league. Glancing over at his mom, he noticed her red face as she continued to stare at the two men. 'She probably feels out of her league too.'  
  
Greg glanced back at the two men, lingering once more on their well-groomed hair and expensive custom suits. He felt a tinge of heat in his cheeks, noticing that he looked a bit ridiculous in his simple white shirt, black tie, slacks and sneakers. Oh, and how could he forget, his fucking Mohawk.  
  
"Mr. Calle, I don't think...see, me and...My mother and I never actually heard any offer. You just looked at a piece of paper and said 'No deal,'" Greg answered.  
  
A look of faint surprise appeared on both Mr. Calle's and Max's face as well. "Ah...," Quinn finally responded after a few moments of silence. "Isn't this embarrassing?"  
  
Greg cocked his head slightly in confusion. 'Don't tell me that you two were enjoying yourselves so much you forgot we were here.'  
  
"The thing is, when you've been a lawyer as long as I have, you get used to clients letting you do the talking. I sincerely apologize for that, Mr. Veder, Ms. Veder," he responded, his charming smile eliciting a slight shudder from his mother.  
  
Quinn reached into his jacket pocket and brought out a small folded slip of white paper, roughly twice the size of a post-it note."I don't know what you were expecting, but this is his first offer," he continued, offering the note to Greg.  
  
He took the note from Mr. Calle and opened it slowly, his mother reading over his shoulder.  
  
Greg's eyes widened as soon as they fell on the paper.  
  
The note fell from his fingers shortly before his mother collapsed into her seat, clutching her chest.  
  
"...a million dollar a year contract...for 5 years?", asked Greg, breathing heavily. "That sounds amazing!"  
  
"Except it's not," interrupted Calle. "That's nothing. Chump change...athletes get more than that. You don't understand your value, Greg but I think your godfather does." Turning back to Max, he uncrossed his legs and stood up, looming over the seated CEO with his full height of six feet, two inches. "My final offer...five million dollars a year for five years plus the little bonus you mentioned earlier. That's the deal, Mr. Anders. It's up to you to take it."  
  
Max raised one eyebrow quizzically but his gray eyes never left Quinn's hazel ones. "...And if I don't?"  
  
Quinn turned to give Greg and his mother a quick glance before returning to Max. "Then someone else will. I'm sure Apple wouldn't mind taking him off your hands."  
  
Max stood up quickly, placing his hands on his desk and leaning forward. He wasn't quite as tall as Quinn but there wasn't much difference. He stared directly at his opponent, a bright, beaming smile on his face that just screamed insincerity. "Mr. Calle, I like you. I really do. You do good work. If it wasn't for the fact that you exclusively handled parahumans, you'd be my personal lawyer. Since you work for my godson, I'll accept your deal."  
  
"Wonderful. Have your people send the contract to my office."  
  
"I'll have that done by tomorrow."  
  
"Perfect."  
  
The two shook on it, still flashing each other those wide, predatory grins.  
  
Greg and his mother stood up to join them. His mother stepped towards Mr. Calle, shaking his hand firmly. "Susan, thank you for this opportunity. I'll make sure to represent your son to the best of my ability. And don't worry about today...I'm waiving the fee."  
  
"Thank you, Mr. Calle. You have no idea how much this means to me."  
  
While his mother continued to thank his lawyer, Greg was busy talking to his godfather who was now his new boss, as well.  
  
"Sorry about this, Uncle Max. I didn't know Quinn was gonna be like that. I thought he was just gonna be there to...I dunno...give advice."  
  
Max chuckled softly. "No problem. Honestly, I'm glad you brought him. He has skill and he's a lawyer. Besides, he's more invested in this than you are. The more money you have...the more you can pay him with. Isn't that right, Calle?"  
  
Quinn sighed, still smiling. "I do have to make money, after all. Besides, I'm sure the Veders understand." Glancing at Greg, he nodded. "You do understand, don't you?"  
  
Greg shrugged. "I...don't really care. I need a lawyer and you're the best cape lawyer on the East Coast so...yeah. It'd make no sense for you not to want money."  
  
Quinn's eyes flicked to Susan. "Ms. Veder?"  
  
She flashed him a smile. "If Greg's fine with it, I'm fine with it."  
  
"Well, if everything's settled, then there's only one thing left to do," Max began.  
  
Greg cocked his head in confusion. "What do you mean?"  
  
His mother was curious as well. "Yeah, Max, what do you mean?"  
  
Max only smiled at them. Slowly reaching into his jacket pocket, Max brought out an angular white and silver device and held it out. "This is for you, Greg."  
  
Taking hold of the device, Greg looked it over carefully, noting the crown logo on the back. "Is this...is this a new phone? You're giving me a new phone? Thanks, Uncle Max."  
  
"It's more than a new phone. I purchased this from Toybox," he began, folding his hands together. "It's a phone designed to supplement your heroing. It's connected to a little twenty-four hour group that I set up. Constantly scanning police radio and alerting you in case of an emergency. Determining the severity of the situation and giving you a rating for it, navigation to guide you to the location of said situation and a direct line to the PRT Emergency Line. You'll never have to worry about having a signal and it's rather durable as well."  
  
An odd look passed over Greg's face and he glanced down at the shiny device in his hands. "Durable...How durable?"  
  
Max's smile dissapeared and was replaced with a blank expression. "...Please don't test it, Greg. It's supposed to be able to take multiple blows from a sledgehammer. I don't think it would survive **you** actively trying to destroy it."  
  
Greg nodded, an awkward smile on his face. "Fair enough."  
  
"Anyway, it's solar powered, water-proof, temperature resistant and ,theoretically, should function anywhere on Earth. Regardless, I still wante-" Max paused as a loud and rather high-pitched noise suddenly interrupted him.  
  
" _bip-bib-bip- _bib-bip _-bib-bip _-bib-bip _-bib-bip _-bib-bip _-bib-bip _-bib-bip"________  
  
The phone in Greg's hands made that odd noise as it turned on automatically, the logo of a crown appearing on the screen. A few seconds later, text appeared on the screen.  
  
  


> **  
> Code P10-90 at Brockton Bay Central Bank.**

>   
>  **Robbery in Progress.  
>   
>  Parahuman Suspects Likely.  
>   
> PRT notified.**   
>    
> 

  


"Holy...," Greg paused and turned to the three other people in the office room. "There's a robbery at Brockton Bay Central. There might be some capes there."  
  
"...Do you want to go?", asked Susan.  
  
"Yes, why not? Get yourself out there. Let the people know you. Show them what Superior's all about," Max replied.  
  
"But...look at me! I'm not dressed to fight!," Greg shouted.  
  
Quinn nodded, rubbing his goatee. "True. Maybe you should sit this one out."  
  
Susan took his hand. "It's okay if you don't want to go, sweetie...not that I don't want you to go. If you want to go, you can go...follow your dreams."  
  
Greg scrunched up his face in confusion and gave his mother a questioning stare.  
  
"What do you want from me? How many mothers do you think wants their son running into danger? Huh? Don't give me that look. I'm doing my best here trying to deal with all of this," she replied with a huff.  
  
Greg shrugged, trying not to laugh at the pout on his mother's face. "Fair enough. I'm not sure I want to fight crime like this though. I'd look kind of dumb."  
  
Max chuckled at Greg's statement, a derisive, mocking chuckle that caused everyone to turn and look at him. "Oh...excuse me. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you. I just can't believe what I'm hearing."  
  
"What do you mean?", Greg asked, crossing his arms.  
  
Max leaned forward, his nose almost touching his steepled fingers. "You don't want to stop a bank robbery...because you're worried you'll look stupid in a dress shirt and tie?"  
  
"NO! I just mean...heroes have costumes. Lung burnt my costume off. I can't fight crime without a costume. I'll look ridiculous. It'll be embarrassing," he replied, shaking his head.  
  
Max nodded in understanding. "Ah...I get it now. You're not scared of the criminals, you're scared of them making fun of you. That makes perfect sense."  
  
Greg felt his cheeks heating up and he spluttered, anger causing him to stumble over his words. "N-n-no! That's not...not it! T-that's not it at all!"  
  
A tilt of the head and a single eye raise was Max's only response.  
  
"It's not like that!", Greg shouted.  
  
"Then why are you scared?"  
  
"I'm not!"  
  
Max's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh...you're not? Then why don't you want to go?"  
  
"I do!"  
  
Without Max seeming to move a muscle, a single pane on the wall-to-ceiling window opened up and wind whipped into the office, surprising Greg slightly and shocking both Susan and Mr. Calle, although he hid his reaction much better. Max simply raised an eyebrow. "Then hurry up. The bank's barely ten miles away."  
  
Greg turned to face Max, his eyes red, and growled.  
  
Max yawned. "Was that supposed to scare me?"  
  
Dropping the phone on his godfather's desk, Greg turned away and faced the window.  
  
Without saying a single word, he jumped from the top floor.  
  
The office was silent as the window returned to it's former position.  
  
"Really, Max?", Susan said, finally. "I mean, really?"  
  
Quinn shook his head. "I agree. I doubt that was necessary."  
  
Rolling his eyes, Max settled even further into his plush desk chair and pulled out a cigar, biting it harshly.  
  
"It worked, didn't it?"  
  
  
\-----------------------------------------------------------  
  
  
By the time Greg landed on the closest roof, his clip-on tie had been ripped off by the wind.  
  
His blonde Mohawk blew in the wind as he moved like a man possessed, avoiding obstacles with ease. Leaping across the skyline of Brockton Bay, he cleared two or three roofs at a time, landing almost perfectly with each bound.  
  
Despite his graceful movements, his chest was filled with a faint heat that he recognized as rage and his eyes were a bright red hue, a sure sign of his anger.  
  
'Does he think I'm stupid?' Greg thought to himself, jumping over a smokestack without even paying attention. 'I know he was playing me. He knew that I knew but he still did it! Who does he think he is?'  
  
He ignored the faint voice inside him that said "The guy paying you five million dollars."  
  
Greg shook his head, trying to clear his head. He couldn't afford to be occupied right now.  
  
There was a bank robbery. People were in danger. They needed him.  
  
Flipping off a rooftop, he deftly landed on the mostly empty sidewalk below and sped off, shocking a homeless man into dropping his hat full of coins.  
  
"Sorry, old man!" Greg called out behind him, not looking back. He doubted the guy heard him, anyway. At this speed, he probably only saw a blur.  
  
Speed. That reminded him...He had to move it!  
  
A minute after he had started running, his sneakers had already started breaking apart.  
  
Two minutes later, he was moving as fast as a race car and completely barefoot.  
  
'The bank!' The Brockton Bay Central Bank was in front of him. Well, it was about a mile and a half away but that was nothing at his speed. Slowing down, Greg began to approach the bank at a pace much closer to the speed limit as he scoped out the situation.  
  
No capes were outside yet but there were plenty of cops. So he was the first hero here, huh. Maybe he should stop? Talk to the police. See what's going on. He contemplated it for an instant before changing his mind.  
  
'Villains are inside. People could be hurt.' With that in mind, Greg moved without thinking.  
  
He leapt.  
  
As he crashed through the window of Brockton Bay Central, the combination of his velocity and the impact of his body on glass completely ripped his white dress shirt apart, exposing his rather sculpted upper body.  
  
Greg landed on the marble floor of the bank with bent knees, spider-web cracks spreading from the point of impact.  
  
"Stop, criminals! Or...huh?"  
  
Almost immediately, Greg froze as he took in the sight in front of him.  
  
Apparently, he was wrong. He wasn't the first hero here.  
  
Bug Girl was here...and so was her team...except the pretty blonde...oh, and they brought their giant monster dog-things. Were they bigger? They looked kinda bigger.  
  
Greg's eyes widened in surprise and he stepped forward. "Hey, guys! You're here! Did you already catch the bad guys?"  
  
Bug Girl didn't say anything. In fact, she took a step back. Make that several steps.  
Her team didn't move a muscle. All of them just stared at Greg as if he had a second head.  
  
"Guys, something up?"  
  
No words.  
  
Something was off here, but Greg wasn't sure what. He looked around and noticed something kinda weird.  
  
A stack of several canvas bags were piled behind Grue. 'Okay, they confiscated the money.'  
  
There was a massive swarm of insects in the shape of a circle in the center of the bank. 'Bug Girl brought her bugs, of course. Nothing weird there.'  
  
Inside it was a large group of people, dozens probably, huddled on the floor and staring at him with weird looks on their faces. 'Maybe one of the bank robbers is in that crowd.'  
  
One frizzy haired brunette girl was the odd one out, standing instead of crouching like everyone else. For some reason, she seemed oddly familiar.  
  
'Oh, there's the blonde girl...Tattletale.' Tattletale was standing away from the group, just outside of the circle of bugs. She seemed to be smiling at him, the same smile his mother always had on her face when she was trying not to scream in frustration. For some odd reason, she had a gun in her hand...and was aiming it at the frizzy-haired girl...who was looking more and more familiar.  
  
'...holy hell, that's Panacea...but why does Tattletale have a gun on Panacea? She's a hero...that seems.....weird.'  
  
For the second time since he entered the bank, Greg froze. This time, because he remembered something. Something Assault had mentioned on Monday night.  
  
_'Those aren't heroes, kid. They're a bunch of young small-time villains called The Undersiders.....Ow, Puppy!'_  
  
'Oh, fuck me sideways.'  
  
Greg sighed slowly, his face drooping. "...you guys are the bad guys, aren't you?"  
  
As he said that, Bitch seemed to come back to life, as she glanced between her dogs and him.  
  
Tattletale's mouth dropped open and she screamed. "No!!!"  
  
She was too late.  
  
"KILL!," Bitch shouted, her voice harsh and guttural.  
  
Her dogs ran at Greg, the three of them attacking him at once.  
  
For an instant, Greg felt the icy grip of fear in his chest, locking up his muscles and shocking him into inaction...then it was gone.  
  
His muscles tensed and his vision slowed down as Zirin rushed through his entire body in preparation for a fight. This was it. This was what he had powers for! Fights like these! He had a pleasant feeling that he was going to enjoy this.  
  
Leaping into the air to meet the first dog beast, Greg cocked his fist back to deliver a concrete-shattering strike.  
  
Then it all went to shit.  
  
\-----------------------------------------  
  
If there was someone in this world that Amy could say she personally hated, it would be Tattletale, that bitch.  
  
It wasn't enough to single her out as a hero, announcing her identity to the rest of the bank. Those idiots even had the nerve to glare at her like it was her fault the bank was being robbed or that she couldn't save them. What did they want from her? Never mind that she had probably cured at least one of their relatives of cancer. No, she had to kick bad guy butt like Vicky.  
  
Hell to the no! She was strictly touch based and support only. She couldn't even heal herself. What was she actually going to do against a whole team of villains? Bleed all over them? Pfft..fucking idiots.  
  
Anyway, back to the bitch. Tattletale had then noticed the phone in her pocket and figured out she had called for help. Apparently, the bitch was actually psychic as she knew she had texted her sister. And if that wasn't enough, she knew her secrets...all three of them.  
  
Amy hated Tattletale more than she thought possible. She had even considered running up to her and just giving her a heart attack with a single touch. They wouldn't dare to kill her but she still didn't try. Instead, she sat there while Tattletale taunted her by hinting at her deepest, darkest secrets in public. She couldn't do anything and it infuriated her.  
  
That was why, when the shirtless cape crashed through the bank window, she had relished the fearful look on Tattletale's face. Amy recognized the cape. Who wouldn't? The Mohawk on that boyish face was rather distinctive. The powerful not-cape who took down Lung. By the look of terror on Tattletale's face, she had met him as well.  
  
It had been enough to put a smile on Amy's face. That smile only increased when Superior had addressed the Undersiders as friends.  
  
"Hey, guys! You're here! Did you already catch the bad guys?"  
  
That was her first clue that something delightful was going to happen.  
And not delightful in the good way, like lollipops and rainbows. Delightful in the best way, like revenge and pain.  
  
Her second clue that things were about to go down was the way their new member, the one controlling the bugs, had started backing away.  
  
The third and final clue was the anguished look on Tattletale's face just before she screamed. "No!"  
  
"Kill!!!," screamed Hellhound.  
  
All three of her monsters rushed Superior at once. One rushed from the front while two attacked from the sides.  
  
He jumped at the one attacking from the front, a fist pulled back. She winced a little in thought of the explosion of blood and gore that would occur once that fist struck home. Amy had scanned Greg's biology and she knew very well how much strength was in his muscles. He'd certainly give Vicky a run for her money. This would be over quickly.  
  
That's when things went wrong.  
  
Superior suddenly spasmed violently, his arm cracking from the rapid, uncontrolled movement, and a look of pain crossed his face.  
  
Panacea glanced at Regent and noticed him holding a hand out. 'Shit...'  
  
The beast closest to him caught him in his mouth and closed it's massive jaws around his arm.  
  
The scream that came from Superior was more rage than pain. His screams only increased when another creature bit down on his other arm. The third tore into his leg. All three of the monstrosities tugged at him, treating his body like a chew tow.  
  
The sight and sound of muscles being ripped apart as the cape screamed was too much for most of the civilians. A few of them vomited. It didn't bother her, though. Fortunately for her...or unfortunately, depending on your line of thought, Panacea had seen much, much, much worse.  
  
"Grue! Portal! How long?"  
  
Panacea turned to look at Tattletale as she screamed at Grue, a mild note of panic in her tone.  
  
"At least another ten minutes," responded Grue, his tone deep and powerful. "I had to carry all of us and the dogs. That took a lot out of me. We're going to have to run for it."  
  
"SHIT!" "Fuck!" Both Tattletale and the bug girl cursed at the same time.  
  
'Come on, Vicky. Where are you? Get here qui-' Amy's thought pattern was suddenly cut off as Regent suddenly spoke up.  
  
"Tats, he's resisting!"  
  
"He's what?!!" the girl shrieked.  
  
"It's like he can fight me off!" the scepter-wielding boy responded. "I can't hold him much longer."  
  
The bug girl suddenly gasped in sudden shock. "Guys, the Wards are here!"  
  
"WHAT!!!!" Tattletale's scream was more a statement than a question. "Scion fucking damn it! How many?"  
  
"All of them, except Shadow Stalker."  
  
"Tattletale! You said we'd be fine!!!" Grue screamed, his tone ringing with barely controlled panic.  
  
"I know what I said. I say a lot of things! Ninety-nine percent of the time, I'm right, okay!!!" Tattletale kneaded her temples roughly, almost as if she thought she could massage her brain into a breakthrough. "How much time do we have till he breaks out?"  
  
Regent flinched **.** "...no time."  
  
Amy glanced back at the monsters. The three of them were huddled around the boy, their teeth ripping and tearing his skin. She couldn't really understand the Undersiders' fear. Nothing seemed to have changed.  
  
" **RAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"**  
  
With a thunderous slam, the beasts were sent flying **through** the walls with a flash of red light.  
  
'Oh my god! Oh my God! Oh my God!' He stood up slowly and as she caught sight of him, she felt something that she could only describe as her sister's fear aura on steroids. Now she could understand the Undersiders' fear. She could definitely understand it.  
  
Amy found herself backing up and found that she wasn't alone in her fear. Several people around her were little more than gibbering wrecks and a few more were throwing up, possibly the same ones as before.  
  
Part of his eye was missing, while the other was little more than a pit of red fire. Blood flowed freely down his face and chest while lacerations and bite marks all over his body clearly showed bone. His right pant leg was little more than tatters, showing how deeply one of the dog beasts had damaged his thigh with it's jaws.  
  
Superior slowly turned his head to face the Undersiders. Bitch in particular, and his red eye seemed to flash. With a roar, he burst into a run, destroying tiles beneath him with his powerful strides.  
  
Bitch and Grue, the two members of the Undersiders who seemed to be mostly unaffected by his Master effect, charged at the same time he moved. Grue stretched out a hand and shadowy tentacles burst from the sleeves of his long coat. Bitch ran at Superior, swinging at him with the massive growths on her arms.  
  
Grue's tentacles wrapped around his arms, surprising the raging cape for an instant and giving Bitch the chance to get in close and punch him in the face, sending him skidding back and ruining the bank floor even more.  
  
With another roar, he rushed forward again mindlessly. This time, bugs swarmed him, blinding him. Their stinging and biting only served to enrage him even more. He barreled through the wall of bugs in time for Grue's tentacles to reach him again.  
  
Amy shuddered as she witnessed Superior's mouth open in a vicious, brutal grin and she suddenly realized that behind that rage, there was still a cunning mind. Superior side-stepped Grue's tendrils and pulled on them with all his force. The villain was sent hurtling towards Superior's waiting fist at the speed of a car.  
  
Amy almost closed her eyes in expectation of the gruesome death that was bound to happen. She was a health professional, not a sadist. Just because she was used to injury and death didn't mean she liked to see it happen.  
  
Superior's fist rocketed forward but thankfully for the sake of Grue's life, more tendrils emerged from his coat and wrapped themselves around his body, creating some sort of ebony shield.  
  
As Superior's fist slammed into his shield, the black shield was sent rocketing upwards into the ceiling before bouncing back down and Grue emerged from it, dizzy but not too much worse for wear. Several tendrils coiled from his jacket and he used them as legs while hanging over ten feet in the air. Even more shadowy limbs wrapped around Tattletale, Regent and the bug girl, eliciting several girlish shrieks of surprise and a joke about tentacles that shouldn't be repeated, all of the above just from Regent.  
  
"That's it. We're leaving!!!" Grue screamed.  
  
"What about Bitch?" shouted the bug girl.  
  
Bitch was busy engaging Superior in hand-to-hand combat. Apparently, only having one eye caused you to lack depth perception and misjudge distances. The girl was avoiding his wild swings and hammering the battered cape with brutal strikes, aiming for his open, bleeding wounds. A quick strike to his blind side, driving her overgrown fist into his empty eye socket, jump back as he flails wildly in pain, jump forward. She slammed her knee into his damaged tibia, eliciting a loud crack and a pained roar and she followed it up with an uppercut to his broken jaw, sending the red-eyed boy sprawling. She took a quick moment to dig into his ribs with a jab. As he howled in pain, Bitch quickly dodged to the side to avoid his lunge and jabbed his side again.  
  
As she struck him once more in his broken ribs, she was suddenly pulled from behind by one of Grue's tendrils wrapped around her waist, eliciting a growl from the girl.  
  
"Shut up, Bitch!"  
  
Superior rushed at Grue only to be hit by dozens of tendrils that Grue sent flying with a sweep of his hand.  
  
These tendrils were unconnected to Grue's body and wrapped around Superior's body tightly, preventing him from gathering any leverage. The raging cape fell to the floor, roaring all the while.  
  
Grue turned and prepared to run out the door.  
  
"What about the money?!!"  
  
"Fuck the money, Regent!!! We might still have to fight the Wards!"  
  
"Come on!!! We risked our lives!!" Regent said, his tone more whining than pleading.  
  
"Fuck, fine!!! I have enough juice left for this anyway!" Grue grabbed the bags with a loose tendril and tossed them into his jacket and they dissapeared. "There! Happy now?" he asked sarcastically, exhaustion audible in his voice.  
  
Regent nodded imperiously, trying to joke in the stressful moment. "Very."  
  
Grue growled and another tendril appeared in front of him, forming an ovoid shield, to protect him and his team, most likely from gunfire.  
  
"Let's do this!!!"  
  
Looking like some kind of demented octopus, his tendrils propelled him out the doors of the bank. Amy simply stood in the same place she had been the entire fight.  
  
After a few moment's hesitation, the hostages ran out of the bank. Amy almost face-palmed at their shortsightedness, all of them so eager to escape the bank that they would run into a cape fight outside. Sure enough, judging by the screams outside, most of them had realized their blunder.  
  
On the floor, Superior had stopped struggling in the bonds that Grue had forced him into as a look of realization crossed his bloody face. With a burst of red light, he burst free from his bindings and jumped upwards.  
  
He glanced around, a violent grimace on his face, as if searching for someone else to fight. As he slowly realized that Amy was the only one in the bank, his eye focused on her.  
  
To her horror, he slowly began walking towards her.  
  
'What does he want? What does he want? Why me? What does...wait...wow.'  
  
Her horror slowly turned to fascination as she noticed the changes happening on Superior's body.  
  
A red aura had appeared on his wounds and before her eyes, they began to heal up quicker than she would have imagined possible. His eye grew back in mere moments, the useless bit of flesh falling out of his ocular cavity and landing on the bank floor. With every single step he took, torn muscle, damaged bone and giant lacerations all over his body righted themselves in seconds.  
  
By the time he had gotten within a few yards of her, she noticed that every single wound on his body had disappeared, returning him to exactly to the way he was when he first crashed through the bank window, in all his shirtless, muscled glory.  
  
As that last thought passed through her mind, Amy felt her cheeks heat up and she looked away from his chest and stared up into his eyes...his beautiful, once again, blue eyes. 'Bad idea, Amy. Look away, look away now!' And look away, she did. Amy decided that the floor needed to be studied.  
  
'This is definitely going to cost a lot to repair. Huh, is that a dollar coin? Cool. Eww...dried blood on my shoes....Oh, god. He's still just standing there.' Despite her best to ignore the shirtless teenage boy in front of her, Amy knew she couldn't do it forever. 'Might as well get it over with.' Raising her head slowly, Amy gave Superior an awkward smile and a weak wave. "Hey..."  
  
He returned her smile and Amy found herself wincing. 'Scion, so fucking bright. Who the hell has teeth that white? What, do you use acid as your mouthwash?...Fuck, a Brute like you? You probably could.' Amy shook her head to get those thoughts away as he began to speak.  
  
"Hey, Panacea, could you fill me in with what just happened?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Yeah, I don't really remember much after those...things dog-piled me," he replied, smiling sheepishly. With one hand, he raised a single hand to pat his Mohawk down.  
  
Amy couldn't help herself and she let out a giggle. A very girlish giggle. 'What the hell? I don't giggle like that. I'm not Vicky. Speaking of Vicky, where is-'  
  
As if on cue, a loud scream interrupted Amy's train of thought.  
  
"GET AWAY FROM MY SISTER!!!"  
  
The blood drained from Amy's face as soon as she heard that familiar scream. Before she could even move, the boy in front of her was suddenly hit by a golden comet moving at about a fourth the speed of sound, leaving her the only occupant in Brockton Bay Central Bank.  
  
Amy sighed.  
  
'...Damnit, Vicky.'


	31. Complications 2.7B

**Complications 2.7B**  
  
  
  
Greg was no stranger to hard hits. He really wasn't. He was a Brute, after all. He was designed to take hits. Or, so he thought.  
  
His training with Evron had actually taught him a few things about taking hits...and fighting, in general.  
  
Case in point, Evron had instilled in Greg a firm respect for evasive actions... albeit through many, many, **many** surprise attacks. He had done this to teach Greg what he felt was the most important lesson about fighting.  
  
Pay attention to any and every opponent.  
  
Or in the Boss's words, _'Look out or you're gonna die!'_  
  
This most important of lessons was one Greg usually paid close attention to. It had served him well against Lung...for the most part and he had believed that in any future fight, he would utilize it to the best of his ability.  
  
But Greg wasn't perfect. He forgot things and he made mistakes. After all, he was only human...metaphorically speaking, of course.  
  
Who could blame him, really? There was a pretty girl in front of him, the bad guys weren't there...anymore, at least, and he was confused as to exactly what had happened. He didn't remember anything after getting attacked, after all.  
  
So, he asked her a question and then they talked a little bit and he made her laugh. The whole thing wasn't completely his fault. There were extenuating circumstances involved in the situation. Panacea's shirt was ripped and her bra was showing. I mean, he wasn't looking but...that had served as a tiny little bit of a distraction as well.  
  
Regardless, how was he even supposed to know what was going to happen next?  
  
He wasn't a psychic. Although, maybe if he had been paying more attention to his senses, he would have noticed an odd whistling noise that was associated with high speed objects flying through the air. Maybe he would have heard a furious scream from a bit farther away.  
  
Maybe...but that was then.  
  
This was now.  
  
"GET AWAY FROM MY SISTER!"  
  
Now could best be described as a blonde bombshell body-checking him at over two hundred miles an hour.  
  
Glory Girl's shoulder struck him center mass, cracking at least two of his ribs and sending him flying out of the bank.  
  
Luckily for him, he had flown through a rather large hole in the wall, one of several, actually, instead of crashing through the steel and marble structure of Brockton Bay Central.  
  
Unluckily, Glory Girl had flown through that same hole and caught up to him in an instant.  
  
The instant before her fist made contact, Greg mentally cursed the fact that he couldn't fly.  
  
With a shrill roar, she let her fist fly and struck him in the face, creating a loud and audible crack.  
  
Greg screamed as several teeth in his mouth were forcefully removed with the force of that blow and he was sent flying back even further.  
After nearly five seconds of continuous screaming, he forced his mouth closed and choked down his screams.  
  
It hurt, yes, but then again Lung hit harder.  
  
Still, getting hit in midair when you couldn't fly was rather different than fighting on the ground. For one, it was much harder to dodge.  
  
It was also nearly impossible to control how you would land when you inevitably took a hit.  
  
He had flown pretty far from the Bank, propelled a good distance by Glory Girl, and was deeper Downtown, most likely the East Side. As Greg began to fall to the ground, he could only thank Scion that there weren't too many civilians around.  
  
There was, for some reason, an empty hot dog cart.  
  
With a screech of crushed metal and the exploding hiss of boiling water, a small crater formed in the pavement from the powerful impact as Greg as his 160 pound body slammed into it with enough force to pulp a normal human.  
  
As he lay on the ground, the smell of hot dogs and the foggy steam of the boiling water dazing him slightly, Greg took a moment to process his thoughts, the Zirin in his brain involuntarily enhancing his analytical processes.  
  
His chest hurt (understatement), his ribs were probably cracked (understatement), he had obviously just gotten into a fight and judging from what he remembered, he probably lost (understatement), and...Oh, Glory Girl's here again.  
  
Greg barely rolled out of the way in time as Glory Girl's foot landed in the exact place where he had previously been, cracking the asphalt even more.  
  
Getting to his feet in less than a second, he faced the enraged Glory Girl with a closed-mouth smile on his face.  
  
She stood in front of him like an enraged goddess, back-length blonde hair flowing in the wind. Her white-and-gold costume was spotless and she stood with all the confidence, or arrogance, of one who had nothing to fear.  
  
Greg recognized that stance. He had seen it on Evron many times and most recently, he had seen it every time he looked in the mirror. 'She wants a fight, she's gonna get a fight.'  
  
"Give up now and I won't break you," she said through her gritted teeth.  
  
Greg's smile only increased at her words. 'That was such an obvious lie.'  
  
He laughed at her, his derisive tone taken directly from his Uncle Max, perfectly designed to rile her up.  
  
Glory Girl clenched her fists in anger, her face turning red as Greg continued to laugh.  
  
Taking a step forward, she decided to shout her previous statement as if her increased volume would change his mind.  
  
"I said, Give up now or I'll break you!", she repeated, her cape fluttering behind her.  
  
Greg stopped his mocking laughter and simply stared at the young heroine with a scornful smile before changing his mind.  
  
His smile then turned into a wide grin as he flashed his bloody, broken teeth at her.  
  
"You hit like a bitch."  
  
A stunned look crossed Victoria Dallon's face for a single second. A second was all Greg needed.  
  
He shot towards her at over a hundred miles an hour. Faster than she expected. Faster than she could react to.  
  
He wasn't going to waste this.  
  
His fists lashed out with as much force as he could muster in his condition. The One-two Combo...a classic. A quick left to her face and a powerful strike to her chest that sent her flying back. Her body skidded and bounced on the pavement, skipping like a stone, until her backwards motion was quickly halted as she found herself embedded into the brick wall of an office building.  
  
Ironically, the first time he had used this move was against a blonde as well. Albeit, nowhere near as powerful, but still. 'Deja vu.'  
  
A few seconds later, Glory Girl peeled herself from the outline she had left on the wall and stumbled dizzily for a few moments. His combo had done enough to ruffle her thoughts of invulnerability and it showed. Glory Girl's hair was a mess, her clothes were covered with dust and specks of gravel and she looked like someone had told her to scrub her pores with a dirt-covered Brillo pad. She took a moment to shake her head before glaring murderously at Greg who stood over a hundred feet away, right next to the crumpled hot dog cart.  
  
A devious thought crossed Greg's mind as an even more devious smile appeared on his face. See, Greg had been somewhat obnoxious before he had ever met Ev. He hadn't had many friends and he was rather eager for attention. Frankly, he was still obnoxious now, he just hadn't had any opportunities to express himself.  
  
He wasn't just a motormouth for no reason. Greg loved to use his mouth for a good cause. That is, to annoy people. People who were jerks to him, anyway. Right now, Glory Girl was at the top of that list.  
  
"Hey, Glory Girl! You hit me, I hit you! We're even stevens now, right?", he yelled at the top of his lungs.  
  
Glory Girl didn't move a muscle. She didn't say a word.  
  
'Wait for it...Wait for it....Wait...for....'  
  
Glory Girl screamed shrilly before she launched herself at him at top speed.  
  
To Greg, she was moving much slower, his blue eyes quickly flashing to a bloody scarlet as a jolt of energy rushed though his veins.  
  
'This is gonna be good (understatement).'


	32. Complications 2.7C

>   
> **Complications 2.7C**  
>   
>   
>   
>  The distance between the two of them vanished quickly as he and Glory Girl rushed at each other. On the outside, he was the picture of confidence, despite his somewhat bruised appearance, arms in position to deliver powerful strikes.  
>   
> On the inside, however, he was fucking giddy. He was in a fight...and with another Brute again! Lung...Lung had been weird...and a bit disappointing. Sure, he was strong...yeah, but he didn't seem as strong as the stories about him said he was. He didn't seem like the Dragon of Japan, the villain that fought Leviathan one on one. Apparently, Lung needed even more time to get to that level of power. Maybe if Greg had realized that, he would have delayed a bit, stretched out the fight...but that was the past.  
>   
> Glory Girl was the present. Alexandria Jr...The Glory of Brockton Bay...New Wave's Shining Star. She was almost as famous as Lung, and for good reason. Before ramping up, Lung's baseline was little more than a very fit human being, albeit one who stood almost seven feet tall. You could take him out with a metal bat or a pistol shot to the brain if you caught him unawares. Victoria Dallon was a completely different story. Her strength was incredible, 10 tons at last measure and durable enough to brush off a grenade. Her speed was no joke either, according to several posts on PHO, she was clocked at almost two hundred miles an hour in the air. With stats like that, she was a complete beast.  
>   
> Best part about it, she was like this all the time. All he had to do was beat her and he would know where he stood. No wondering if she wasn't at her strongest like Lung. This would be an open and shut case of Brute vs Brute.  
>   
> Glory Girl dashed at him at over twice the speed she had been moving at before, creating a slipstream in her wake and surprising Greg a bit.  
>   
> A bit.  
>   
> He grinned, dodging a wild swing from her and countering with a jab to her stomach that sent the heroine stumbling back. Capitalizing on her pain, he followed up that quick jab by launching a salvo of strikes all over her body.  
>   
> His speed aiding him, his toned arms flailed like powerful pistons, repeatedly pounding the heroine's body like a speed bag. His strikes resounded from her body with loud booms, almost like thunder. Pulling his fist back, he threw another punch as fast as he could, directly into Glory Girl's ample chest.  
>   
> An instant before his fist landed, Glory Girl's open palm caught it and her grip tightened, eliciting a crack and a choked scream from Greg. White hot pain surged through his wrist and fingers in an instant, disorienting him.   
>   
> Glory Girl smiled at him and increased her grip on his fist, crushing his broken fingers even further while at the same time, her other hand gripped his shoulder just as tightly. Greg grunted in pain, struggling against Glory Girl with all his might.  
>   
> 'God, Scion, fuck all! She wasn't this strong before!' Greg thought to himself as he fought for dominance. Half of him was angry that he was losing, while the other half was excited to be in a fight...and the third half was excited...in another way. This was the first time Greg had been this close to a girl this hot and honestly, his head wasn't completely in the right place.  
>   
> She noticed his wandering eyes as they began trailing downwards to her chest and screamed in righteous female anger as she realized what he was looking at.  
>   
> "PERV!!!"   
>   
> Distracted as he was, Greg was completely unprepared for Glory Girl's invulnerable forehead smashing into his rather durable nose with an incredible amount of force, and for the third time, another one of his body parts shattered as she struck him.  
>   
> "Gah! Fuck! Fuckfuckfuckfuck!!!"  
>   
> Now his head was no longer the only thing that wasn't in the right place. He felt like a grenade had gone off right in his face, white hot pain centered directly on his definitely broken nose. Hot liquid gushed from his nostrls, sending him reeling and once more filling Greg's mouth with the coppery taste of his own lifeblood. Stumbling a bit, he tried to fight through the pain, a feat that was made a hundred times harder by Glory Girl continuing to squeeze his damaged hand and shoulder.  
>   
> Disguising his pained groans as angry growls, Greg pushed back with all his might, attempting to force the buxom blonde away from him. Despite his broken hand, he actually seemed to be making some headway as she was slowly, but surely, forcing away the crazy blonde in front of him.  
>   
> \----------------------------  
>   
> Victoria was angry. It was an emotion that she was familiar with, especially in brutal fights like thia, when people just wouldn't _stay down_ when she punched them. Confusion was one that came up less often, but she was definitely feeling it now. The blonde creep she had seen harassing her sister was battered to hell and back, bruised and bleeding, but even when she could feel the bones creaking in his hand, he was somehow pushing her back and away.'Was he...was he getting stronger? Fuck that!'  
>   
>  Narrowing her eyes, she tightened her grasp on his shoulder and was rewarded with another crack and a hiss of pain. Despite that, he only grit his teeth and continued to push, somehow ignoring the intense pain he must have been feeling. What would it take to put him down?  
>   
> Letting go of his shoulder for a split second, she struck him in the nose again, this time with an elbow, forcing another grunt from him as blood spurted from his nostrils. Unceasing in her quest to make him hurt, she slammed the same elbow across his face, leaving him open for her follow-up attacks. A jab struck his jaw and less than a second later, a right cross impacted his battered ribcage. He stumbled back, but didn't fall, nose broken and gushing blood, completely unable to defend himself but for some sick reason, he was still smiling during every single moment of the fight, despite the brutal thrashing he was receiving.  
>   
> Glory Girl was not one to waste an opportunity, especially when it came to a fight. Her fists came down in a combined hammer fist and he reacted, bringing up his fore-arm to block. She made sure he regretted that. His fore-arm shattered with a distinctive crack, and his face twisted into a grimace of pain. Glory Girl felt a deep sense of satisfaction as he staggered and she rushed forward, confidence brimming. Another hammerfist was swung into his chest like a bat, sending him rocketing back, unsteady on his feet.  
>   
> Dashing forward, she slammed her fists into his chest repeatedly, copying the volley he had demonstrated on her before. His chest was slick with blood, all of it his, but her fists still found purchase on his body, driving him backwards and forcing grunts of pain from him with every single punch.  
>   
> It wasn't as fast as his...or anywhere near as smooth...but it really didn't have to be. She was stronger. She was better. She was Glory Girl.  
>   
> Pausing for a moment, she took in his damaged state. His face was a mess, swollen and bloody, his nose damaged beyond all recognition and his teeth broken and shattered. For a second, she felt kind of sad for him but that quickly dissapeared as she saw him smile once more. This sick fuck was a villain, a bank robber, and worst of all, HE WAS GOING TO HURT AMY!  
>   
> Winding up her body to deliver every single bit of force she could muster, she let a powerful punch fly, hammering into his chest like a freight train. The asphalt directly underneath them cratered from the sheer force behind her strike, sending gravel and dust flying with a small shockwave of displaced air.  
>   
> In other words...she hit him. **HARD.**  
>   
>   
>  **\-------------------------**  
>   
>   
>  Greg found himself flying once more, the immense strength behind Glory Girl's punch powerful to send him flying over rooftops and hurtling over half a mile to crash directly into the side of a Brockton Bay police car. The collision of his body into the steel frame of the vehicle didn't even faze him. Neither did the din of tearing and crumpling metal bother his sensitive ears. If anything, the impact was a comforting and welcome cushion compared to the diamond-hard fists of Glory Girl. He faintly heard the terror-filled screams of people that he could only conclude were civilians but he paid them no mind. He was more than a bit preoccupied with his own rather important issues at the moment.  
>   
> Pain...brutal, agonizing pain that just wouldn't cease. Greg's face surged with that same white-hot pain, his right shoulder and left wrist both hung limply, completely shattered by Glory Girl's vise grip, his chest was still covered in his own blood, as well as many bruises and minuscule cuts.  
>   
> In all honesty, he wanted to stand up and fight but his body...his body just wasn't listening. He wasn't exhausted. He was just too broken, his body too weak to keep fighting as it was. Something inside him raged at that thought. That shouldn't be! He shouldn't be losing like this! Lung didn't make him feel like this...this pathetic, this... **weak**. Glory Girl...she was strong. Definitely stronger than Lung had been that night. That shouldn't matter! He shouldn't be weak...he was strong, powerful. He was Kheran royalty...whatever the hell that actually meant. Anger made him stronger! Yes...that's what he needed. **ANGER!  
>   
>  GET UP!!! GET ANGRY!!! **  
>   
> Giving up was not an option!  
>   
> 'Stand...stand...get up! You can do it! Move!' he screamed to himself. He felt the familiar heat flowing through him and churning all his conflicting emotions into a simple-minded anger that was all he needed to fight. His rage was forced, weak, but it was working and he could already feel his body righting itself, albeit somewhat slowly. Still, his body refused to obey. Too much pain. He needed time. Time to focus, time to heal but time...time was something he didn't have.  
>   
> He felt more than heard her touchdown. The ground cratered and shook around her as she landed with all the subtlety of an earthquake.  
>   
> Greg opened his swollen, bleeding eyes to stare up at a viciously smirking Glory Girl.  
>   
> Placing a bloody hand around his jaw, she pulled him up from his sitting position against the crumpled car door of the police sedan. As she held him up at her eye level, she glared directly into his eyes as if looking for something. When she apparently didn't find what she was searching for, she shook her head slowly.  
>   
> "You're a fucking piece of shit, you know that?", she began after a long pause.  
>   
> Greg said nothing.  
>   
> "I mean, really, what the hell? You and your stupid-ass team rob a bank and hold everyone hostage like a couple of grade-A scumbags! Then you tear up the bank like a bunch of shitheads for whatever fucking reason....."  
>   
> 'Wait...she thinks I'm with them...'  
>   
> "Honestly, I wouldn't care too much about the other shit but I saw you. I saw you!!!," she shouted in his face, her expression distorted in pure rage. "What were you trying to do to Amy?!"  
>   
> "Nrrsshing," he forced out through the grip Glory Girl had on his jaw.  
>   
> "What?"  
>   
> "Nrrrsshinng!"  
>   
> His neck found itself with her other hand clamped around it, slowly and rather painfully limiting his airflow while the hand around his jaw was drawn back in a threatening fist.  
>   
> "Don't fucking lie to me! You piece of shit, I saw you!!!", she growled in his face.  
>   
> "Ah...dnt...knw...whaa...yu're...tlking...abou...," he managed to gasp out, his face red.  
>   
> "I SAW YOU IN THE BANK!!," Glory Girl screamed in his face, her grip on his neck tightening as she raised him higher with only one hand. He began to kick wildly as his airflow became weaker and weaker. "YOU HAD NO CLOTHES ON! HER SHIRT WAS RIPPED OPEN! I KNOW WHAT YOU WERE TRYING TO FUCKING DO!!!"  
>   
> The more she screamed, a golden aura seemed to appear around her body, brightening with every single syllable until it shined like a halo. Greg didn't even notice. He was much too focused on her actual words and the intensifying heat building in his body. The meaning behind her words smashed apart the pain-induced daze in his mind like a sledgehammer breaking through concrete. 'Did she...she just...she called me...' Heat rushed through his body and rage filled his mind, healing his most severe injuries, and he knew this was it. It was time.  
>   
> Opening his mouth, he spat at her and a thick stream of blood and phlegm shot from his mouth directly into her eyes, immediately robbing her of sight.  
>   
> "God, what the-?", she yelped out of shock rather than pain. Stumbling back, she let go of his neck and Greg reacted. Lashing out with a quick right cross, he aimed for her gut and instead met Glory Girl's toned forearm with a sound like thunder.  
>   
> He winced slightly. Felt like punching fucking diamond.  
>   
> Trying again with an even quicker jab, Glory Girl reacted to his speed, jumping back and launching a powerful kick that a Spartan would have been proud of.  
> The kick glanced off his side as he dashed to the left, narrowly avoiding the brunt of the attack.  
>   
> Lunging forward, he delivered a jab to her throat, causing her to gasp for a moment and immediately followed with an elbow into her face.  
>   
> His elbow made contact and Greg's smile became positively vicious at the sound of Glory Girl's nose breaking and the spray of blood that followed.  
>   
> "Hahahaha!"  
>   
> Letting out a short gasp of excited laughter, he smashed another elbow into her nose if only to see more blood spill, and as she reeled back, he laughed once more. Bolstered by the fact that he could actually make her, the invincible Glory Girl, bleed, his mind accelerated and he _Moved._  
>   
>  Rushing forward, he thrust his a fist into her chest before dashing to the side and plunging an elbow into her ribs.  
>   
> Glory Girl reacted to the pain and swung her fist at him in slow motion and he tilted his head to the side, dodging her strike with ease. His fist found itself impacting her cheek and blood flew from her mouth. He rushed her before she could gather a defense, blitzing back and forth, and striking everywhere she left vulnerable. Kick, jab, right cross, left cross, right hook, knee, uppercut, headbutt, headbutt, **HEADBUTT!!!**  
>   
>  With every single hit he landed, her golden aura flared and faded just the slightest bit and she seemed to be struggling. He _moved_ again, slamming a knee into her gut and she doubled over, groaning in pain. Grabbing her by the hair, he smashed her face into the crumpled police car, ignoring her pained screams. For a moment, he contemplated stabbing her with his blades or using his blasts. He quickly banished the thought. He didn't want to kill her. She was a hero, after all, albeit a stupid, crazy one.  
>   
> Other than that, Greg was beyond caring. His mind had been all too focused on pain a short while ago. It didn't matter how much she screamed, how much she begged or pleaded. **It didn't matter.** Right now, he was focused on **winning**. She thought she could dominate him, crush him like an ant, make him feel **weak!** **She was wrong.**  
>   
>  Face bleeding and covered with cuts, Glory Girl screamed in anger and pain, her fists flailing wildly, trying to hit anything. Evading her wild swings with some difficulty, he caught her by the arm and gave it a sharp pull. Her eyes suddenly widened and Greg heard a sharp pop as Glory Girl's shoulder joint was quickly dislocated. Another powerful pull sent her flying over his shoulder in a textbook judo throw and she hurtled through the air.  
>   
> He watched her flail as she screamed, pain robbing her mind of the knowledge that she could fly and he ran after her, Zirin surging through his body, and forced himself to keep pace with Glory Girl as she careened through the air. She began to descend quickly, flipping head over heels as she did, and Greg continued running, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Two hundred feet...one hundred eighty...one hundred fifty....one hundred...Now!  
>   
> Time slowed for Greg and he hissed in pain as his keft arm burned intensely as he pushed his energy into it, all the heat in his body centering in his fist. Veins bulged, stretched to their limit, and his fist was surrounded with an aura that was as red as his eyes. Glory Girl flipped over once more and as she finally caught sight of him, it was already too late.  
>   
> Greg shot upwards into the air, glowing fist already pulled back, his exultant smile widening as he noticed Glory Girl's eyes widen in shock as he appeared in front of her. Her limbs flailed wildly as she locked eyes with him, fully aware of what would happen next.  
>   
> The instant before his fist reached her seemed to extend forever as the both of them stared into each other's eyes. One was blue and filled with fear, the other a bright pupil-less scarlet that exuded excitement. The moment lasted for an eternity on it's own.  
>   
> Then his fist exploded in a flash of red light.  
>   
> Glory Girl rocketed towards the ground, plowing through the asphalt and blasting through several parked cars as her aura flared wildly. She finally stopped when she slammed into another police car, unconscious and bleeding, her costume torn to shreds.  
>   
> Greg shot upwards hundreds of feet in the air with the force of the explosion propelling him. He had won. At least, he was pretty sure he had. That was a long, hard fight and he wasn't sure what to think. Instead, he simply watched his surroundings as he continued his upwards journey.  
>   
> 'Everything's so beautiful from up here. So many blues, clouds so thick, sun so bright. God, I really wish I could fly...hmm, Glory Girl must love flying. I should really talk to her later...ask her how she liked the fight. Hope I performed okay. Wonder if she'll want to do this again."  
>   
> After a few seconds of psuedo-flight, Greg found himself slowing down and he realized, with a wince, that he had reached the highest point of his flight. He began to drop, and he closed his tired eyes and let himself fall.  
>   
> Five seconds later, he felt the crash in every bone in his body. The sound of screeching metal, police sirens and the loud shouts of several voices served as a wake-up call for Greg and he opened his eyes. Rolling over onto his side, he noticed the initials P.R.T on the crumpled top of the car he lay on. 'I really hope I don't get in trouble for this.'  
>   
> Despite the beating he had received, he didn't feel all that bad. His nose was definitely broken, he felt like he couldn't breathe, he was completely exhausted and there was this odd, painful itching in his right arm. Other than that, though, he felt fine. Why shouldn't he? He had destroyed Lung and he had just beaten Glory Girl. He, little Greg Veder, had beaten the best this city had to offer. He was the **toughest,** the _fastest_ **,** the **STRONGEST** cape in all of Brockton Bay. He was **UNSTOPPABLE!!!** No one could touch him! NO ONE, NO ONE!!!  
>   
>  Greg raised his right hand in the air and pumped his fist, only to be splashed in the face with blood.  
>   
> 'What the...'  
>   
> His hand was little more than a stump, bone sticking out from his wrist where his palm should be....his right hand...his favorite hand.  
>   
> 'Huh, okay. Hand's gone....I can deal with that. I heal, right?' Greg thought to himself, nodding his head. "Yeah, I'm fine. I can heal from this. Yes, I can. I can. I...I...I can do this. Can you heal what isn't there?"  
>   
> Sitting up on the destroyed husk of the PRT vehicle he had landed on, mind stressed a bit from seeing his hand gone, Greg threw his head back and laughed wildly.  
>   
> "Superior, stand down!"  
>   
> Pausing his laughter, Greg looked to his side, hysteric laughter and manic smile both slowly fading as he took in the sight in front of him.  
>   
> The Brockton Bay Wards, minus Shadow Stalker, stood in formation below him, ready to fight. For some odd reason, they all seemed tired and somewhat beaten up, almost as if they had just gotten into a big fight.  
>   
> Aegis stepped forward out of formation and shouted once more.  
>   
> "I repeat, Superior, stand down!"  
>   
> 'Do they want to fight?' Greg thought to himself, his heart rate speeding up again at the thought of fighting a knockout brawl with Aegis. Glory Girl was invincible 'Hah! Not anymore!' but Aegis...he was implacable. 'NO!' Greg shook the thought out of his mind. He couldn't do that. Aegis was a hero and he hadn't tried to start a fight... **yet.**  
>   
>  "Okay, I realize this kinda looks bad, with the smashed up street and this car," Greg began, gesturing downwards to the crumpled PRT van he sat on top off,"....but I can explain....See, it's like this...."  
>   
> He stood up on top of the van and turned his entire body around to face the Wards. As if on cue, they all suddenly groaned and stepped back, placing their hands over their masks.  
>   
> Glancing at each of the Wards in turn, he noticed most of them doing their best to avert their eyes, the only exceptions being Vista, who appeared to be peeking through her fingers.  
>   
> "What's wrong? Something wrong or so _-...OH..."_  
>   
>  A sudden sensation of cold air to his lower body brought to his attention that he was no longer wearing any clothes at all. The explosion must have eviscerated the already ripped slacks he had been wearing, along with his boxers. 'Huh, I guess Alexandria brand boxers aren't that durable after all.'  
>   
> Glancing back at the Wards, he realized that they had been getting an eyeful of his...junk. Blushing deeply, Greg placed his right hand in front of his groin and the other hand behind him.  
>   
> When the Wards still made no attempt to look at him, Greg realized that he had been using his non-existent hand to block their view.  
>   
> Raising his bleeding wrist to his face, Gregory snickered. "Oh, yeah...hehehehe....I don't have that anymore. This is kind of funny, actually...No hand...hehehe...naked in public and covered in blood, in front of heroes and...hehehehehe...a little girl...Hehehehehehehehehe..."  
>   
> With a soft giggle, Gregory Veder's eyes rolled to the back of his head and he passed out, naked and bloody.  
> 
> 
>  

 


	33. Complications 2.8A

**Complications 2.8A**

  
'Fucking today. Why the fuck did they have to do this? I had shit to do today.' Sophia Hess thought to herself, walking through the doors of the PRT secure meeting room in full costume. The room itself was well lit, with white walls, a large white conference table and a large white screen at the front of the room. All this bright light and white decor made Sophia's skin crawl. Frankly, she preferred the dark.  
  
Glancing around the meeting room as she walked in, she noticed that nobody seemed to be paying her much attention....which was odd. Her teammates never liked her attitude but they had gotten used to her behavior in the nine months she had spent as a Ward so they didn't spare her a second glance.  
  
The Protectorate members were an entirely different story. Most of them usually looked at her with a little bit of suspicion every time she entered a room. Well, except for Assault, but he was usually too busy making stupid jokes and acting like a jackass.  
  
The jackass in question was busy balancing a pencil on his finger while Battery, the uppity bitch, kept shooting him glares. Velocity was twitching in his chair like a five-year old and generally acting like he had just mainlined espresso while Triumph and Dauntless seemed to be practicing a new way to bro-fist. Miss Militia even managed to look bored even though all Sophia could see was her eyes. The Wards were the only ones who managed to look at least a little bit serious...which was out of character for most of them.  
  
Despite the nonchalant behavior of the Protectorate members, the fat Pig's glare seemed to be more heated than usual as she watched Sophia enter the conference room. Knowing Piggot, she was probably pissed over some little shit and was waiting for someone to mess up so that she could yell at them, not that the fat-ass needed a reason to scream her head off. Besides, It wasn't her fault she was late for this stupid meeting. Winslow was pretty fucking far from the PRT HQ.  
Besides, what the hell was so important that they had to interrupt her free time to come to some stupid meeting, anyway? From what she had heard, the bank got robbed and a street got fucked up by two Brutes. What was the big deal?  
  
"Shadow Stalker, reporting in," she said, dropping herself into an empty seat next to Vista, who was currently trying to clear gravel from her blond bird's nest of hair. Noticing her normally prissy teammate's disheveled appearance, she gave her other Wards a closer look and noticed that all of them looked somewhat roughed up, like they had gotten their asses kicked. Aegis himself looked like he had gotten into a fight with a pack of angry dogs or something. 'Holy hell, what the fuck happened today?'  
  
Piggot glared at her as she sat down, a look that Sophia was intimately familiar with before fixing her gaze at the man sitting to her left. "Where the hell is Armsmaster? I thought I said I wanted everyone present," she asked, her voice little more than a growl.  
  
  
Rennick, Piggot's bald bitch, stood up, quickly looking around with the same weak-ass expression he always had on his face. Sophia scowled at him from underneath her mask. She hated weakness and Rennick, with his constant sweating and weak lungs, practically screamed 'pathetic'.  
  
"Director, Armsmaster has...ahem...refused to exit his laboratory," Rennick said, clearing his throat intermittently.  
  
Piggot narrowed her eyes at Rennick. "Refused? You actually spoke to him?  
  
"Well...uh, not exactly, his doors are locked from the inside...and soundproof but...I was able to contact Dragon," the man replied, visibly sweating from the piercing glare Piggot was giving him, "and from what she told me, Armsmaster is busy Tinkering. It''s, uh, most likely a Tinker trance, according to her."  
  
"A Tinker trance? For the better part of a week?"  
  
"...Possibly?" Rennick answered, sounding unsure himself.  
  
'What is he even doing here?' Sophia thought to herself, shaking her head slowly. Someone as worthless as Rennick shouldn't be in charge of capes at all. 'Fucking prey.'  
Sophia wasn't surprised that Dragon knew more about Armsmaster's condition than anyone else on the Rig. From what she had heard Kid Win say, Dragon and Armsmaster spent most of their spare time talking to each other. Vista even thought that the two were secretly dating. Sophia knew better than that, though. Armsmaster's head was too far up his own ass to even notice any female that liked him. In fact, she doubted Armsmaster even cared about sex. The Tinker would probably remove his own dick if he thought it'd make his tech better.  
  
"Fine, I'll deal with that later. Let's just get this over with. Run the projector," Piggot said with a sigh, turning away from the sweaty, bald man.  
Rennick walked to the front of the room, letting out a deep breath and wiping his sweaty brow with his the sleeve of his suit. Sophia rolled her eyes at the man's weakness and turned to face the front of the room. As the lights dimmed, Sophia felt herself relaxing, no longer feeling uncomfortable in the too bright room. The man pulled out a pointer stick from his jacket pocket and placed it on the blank screen.  
  
A moment later, an image of several masked faces appeared on the screen. Sophia easily recognized them. She'd been hunting one of them for a while now, after all..  
Clearing his throat, Rennick began to speak. "At approximately 1:30 pm, the Undersiders, performed a robbery at Brockton Bay Central Bank. Using their newest member, an insect-controlling Master, they were able to hold everyone inside the bank hostage. Among those hostages was Panacea of New Wave."  
  
Sophia's eyes widened at that. From what she knew of the Undersiders, they were strictly small-time, sticking to stealing from other villains for the most part. To hold Panacea hostage, that would put them under a spotlight and get them on a lot of people's shit list. The Protectorate and New Wave would definitely be gunning for them a lot harder, that was certain. In fact, some of the Protectorate members began to murmur at that, various expressions of disapproval on what was visible of their faces. Going after Panacea was just not done.  
  
Clockblocker shook his head solemnly. "Nobody fucks with the White Mage," he said, unable to prevent a chuckle from spilling out.  
His laughter petered off quickly as Piggot, Battery and Vista simultaneously aimed glares at him. The intimidating effect from their combined stares was lessened by the fact that Assault, Triumph and Dauntless were doing their best not to laugh at the Ward's joke.  
  
'Bunch of fucking idiots,' Shadow Stalker thought to herself.  
  
"For a better understanding of the proceedings, I believe it'd be best to watch the security footage," Rennick said, pointer stick still on the screen.  
  
The room grew quiet and the murmuring came to a stop as the screen began to display security camera footage. Shadow Stalker's eyes widened as a swarm of bugs appeared from the darkness that could only be Grue's and judging by the gasps of a few of the Protectorate members, they were more than a bit surprised as well. Her surprise only increased when Grue created what looked like tentacles from inside his jacket, using them to carry bags of money.  
  
'Shit, Mover and Shaker on top of his shit from before? That fucker's gonna be impossible to take down now.'  
  
After nearly ten minutes of play, the video finally paused when Tattletale held a gun to Panacea, forcing the healing cape to stand up at gunpoint.  
  
"It has been seen that both Grue and Hellhound displayed abilities that we previously did not have on file. Grue appeared to have the ability to teleport and create tendrils from shadows while Hellhound was able to utilize the armor that she usually creates on her dogs as offensive tools for herself," continued Rennick. "The two of them do not seem like the types who would have limited themselves in fights. So far, all conclusions point to a second trigger."  
  
Piggot sighed, closing her eyes. Used to seeing in dim light, Sophia was easily able to pick out an unhealthy looking throbbing vein that pulsed on Piggot's forehead. With one hand, she kneaded her forehead while she waved for Rennick to continue with the other.  
  
"At this point in the hostage situation, Tattletale appeared to have recognized Panacea and from the reports given by the hostages, had been needling her with questions and uncomfortable statements while Grue had been collecting bags of money from the vault using his tendrils. This next part of the video is a little more confusing."  
The video continued to play and Sophia watched in confusion as a shirtless guy with a Mohawk burst through one of the banks' large glass windows, cracking the marble floor on impact. That confusion quickly turned to shock as she saw his face. 'The fuck!...is...is that Veder?...wow, he's fucking cut...'  
  
Since the fight against that E88 dickhead on Monday, Sophia had heard a lot of rumors concerning Greg Veder. In fact, the school had gone crazy with them. Some people said that Greg had lost it and ran away after triggering in public. Others had mentioned that Greg might not even be a parahuman at all and he had simply been working out for months. There had been some support for that by people who had claimed to see the nerd running all over the Docks.  
  
The most popular rumor was that Greg was a crazy strong Brute and had actually been the one to mutilate Lung. Even Madison seemed to be in support of that rumor, even going as far as to say that there was a pic of him on PHO. Although, for some reason, the pic hadn't been there when Madison had tried to show her. Emma had been really curious about the topic, even going as far as to talk to Greg's friend about it. Sophia wasn't really sure what to think about the issue. She knew Greg was a cape and that he had definitely changed. The look on his face when he had knocked out Mal was just too...sadistic...for him to be the same pussy he had been before. After the fight, he had changed again. Greg had reeked of fear and shame as everyone had stared at him before quickly shifting to anger again as he had gotten impatient. His posture hadn't really come off as a predator as he stomped out of the school. Instead, to her mind, it screamed 'Dangerous.'  
  
Clockblocker had mentioned a rookie cape named Superior had been the one to take down Lung, so she hadn't even entertained the thought of Greg doing it. From the look she had seen on his face, he wanted nothing more than to kill Mal. If Greg had been strong enough to almost kill Lung, he wouldn't have had the self control to hold back from turning the Nazi into a stain on the wall.  
  
The video continued, displaying Greg nearly getting ripped apart by the three giant monsters Bitch controlled. Several concerned murmurs were heard from a few PRT agents and some of the Protectorate. Piggot simply glared at the video as if she could light it on fire with the force of her glare alone. Tattletale had started acting weirdly and suddenly, the three monsters were launched through the bank walls in a flash of red light. As Greg stood up, the wounds on his body could be clearly seen and there were several gasps around the table and a squeak from Vista. His entire body was covered in claw and bite marks. His right arm was almost completely torn off and the same thing could be said for his left leg while one of his eyes were completely gone and the other eye shone with a red glow. Unlike the others, Sophia made no sound, only gaping at the video. Despite his injuries, Greg didn't even look bothered. He just looked ready to kill.  
  
As the fight progressed, he knocked away Grue, causing the dark villain to display more of his new abilities by creating a force field and essentially becoming a giant octopus with his tendrils. Bitch continued to attack Greg, the dog user's grotesque fists smashing into the damaged cape. The tape paused as Grue, his team in tow, tried to escape through the front doors after tying up Greg.  
  
"The blonde Brute on screen is known as Superior. Despite the fact that his civilian identity is essentially public knowledge to anyone with a search engine, we will be following protocol by not mentioning his civilian identity during an official meeting as he is considered a hero. He is also the cape who, on Monday night, defeated Lung by inducing severe head trauma and...uhhhh...gouging out the villain's eyes...on his first outing," continued Rennick, turning somewhat green at the mention of Lung's injuries. "Official ratings for Superior have him as a Brute 7, Mover 4, Master 2, and Blaster 4. As you can tell, he is quite a powerhouse. Hostage reports also describe him as somewhat confused when he saw the Undersiders as he seemed to think they were heroes." Sophia noticed Clockblocker snickering at this while Assault shook his head and Battery had a smug look on her face.  
  
"Hellhound was the first to attack, commanding her dogs to kill him. Reports mention that Regent was assisting the dogs in keeping Superior down and that he quickly lost control of him. Despite severe injuries, Superior rushed the Undersiders in a berserk rage and was still able to fight Grue and Bitch, frightening their leader to the point that he called for a retreat. Superior was then restrained by Grue's tendrils and the Undersiders exited the bank where they were met by the Wards...not including Shadow Stalker. Continue the video."  
  
'Not including Shadow Stalker...assholes,' thought Sophia, fuming to herself. 'What's so hard about giving a bitch a call? I'd have stopped the Undersiders by myself if I had to.'  
  
Sophia pulled herself out of her own head as the video continued, showing Superior still struggling on the ground, wrapped in Grue's tendrils. All the bugs in the bank dissapeared into the walls and the hostages ran out a few moments later, leaving only one frizzy haired girl left in the bank.  
'Panacea.'  
  
In a burst of red light, Greg ripped apart the bindings and began to walk toward Panacea and for some fucking reason, the dumb bitch just stood there. 'What the fuck? You just stand there and let a cape who just went crazy walk towards you. This is more than stupid. That's some ridiculous horror movie bullshit.'  
  
The entire room hushed as all of Greg's injuries healed as he walked towards Panacea and they began to talk, but due to the bank's cameras not being equipped with sound the conversation was not captured. Then, in a blur, Greg dissapeared from the camera.  
  
"From what Panacea told us, Superior was unable to remember what happened after the dogs attacked him leading us to believe that when he enters that berserk rage, he experiences short-term memory loss as a result. She also informed us that Glory Girl was the reason for Superior's sudden disappearance from the bank, as she believed Panacea was in danger and that Superior was one of the villains," began Rennick, pausing for a coughing fit.  
'Glory Girl, that stuck up Brute bitch. Fucking skank with that stupid-ass tiara. Who wears a fucking tiara into a fight? A fucking airhead, that's who! I should shove that tiara up her bleached white asshole.'  
  
Shadow Stalker was not a big fan of New Wave, mostly due to the fact that they were even more PR conscious than the Protectorate, and she especially hated Glory Girl. Early on, she had actually liked the blonde's behavior when it came to criminals. She wasn't like the other pussies and didn't care about not hurting them too bad. It didn't take too long for her to realize that Glory Girl was just another self-obsessed bitch.  
  
"We were able to recover footage from street cameras to better understand the situation. Some of the altercation between the two is missing but we do have the majority of it."  
  
As the video played again, Sophia watched with an open mouth. The entire thing was a blur of motion. Greg's fists were nearly invisible to the camera as he hit Glory Girl. When she finally got the upper hand, Glory Girl seemed stronger than ever, smashing her fists into Greg and really kicking the shit out of him. Then the footage switched again and the tables turned.  
Greg became a whirlwind of motion, moving so fast that he seemed to disappear from the camera at certain points. He fought brutally, a crazy smile on his face as he attacked Glory Girl with even more eagerness she had attacked him with. Nearly everyone in the room flinched as he grabbed her by the hair and smashed her face into the side of a destroyed Brockton Bay PD vehicle. Underneath her mask, Sophia simply smiled as the video continued, enjoying the brutal beatdown for several reasons. Piggot just continued glaring at the video as she had since the screen turned on. The video cut off as the two dissapeared from the frame.  
  
A few seconds later, an image appeared on the screen and Shadow Stalker had to force herself not to let out a laugh at what she saw. Glory Girl, bloody, beaten and bruised, embedded into the side of a crushed police car. Her costume was ripped in several places and the stupid tiara was nowhere to be found. 'Maybe he shoved it up her ass,' thought Sophia, laughing to herself.  
  
The next image was of Greg lying on the top of a PRT van, naked and bloody. She almost gasped as she caught sight of his missing hand, not even paying attention to his naked body....okay, she paid a little attention.  
  
Rennick coughed again, a weak, wheezing cough that made him sound like a leaking balloon. "...Excuse me. From what we have learned, Superior's hand was removed in an explosion we believe to have been caused by one of his blasts. People reported seeing a large flash of red light in the sky shortly before he landed on the PRT van. Information provided by the Wards describes Superior as being somewhat unhinged as he landed, laughing hysterically once he saw his missing hand and passing out upon becoming aware of his state of undress. Attempts were ma-"  
  
"Wait a second" interrupted Battery. "That kid caused a lot of property damage trying to do our job. The bank, those streets, the police cars, the PRT van...that's a lot of collateral damage. With all that he's done, shouldn't he at least be in the Wards? For his own good, of course," she added, as an afterthought.  
  
Piggot turned to glance at her, an angry look still etched on her face. "Before this meeting, I was visited by Superior's lawyer, a Mr. Quinn Calle. Superior is currently the sponsored cape of MedHall Pharmaceuticals and recently accepted a binding five-year contract. Any attempts to get our hands on him will be met with legal force and if we went to court, the proceedings would not be in our favor."  
  
Battery stood up quickly, her lips turning down into an angry scowl. "So we're just going to let all that damage go? Who's going to pay for all of that? How much would all of it cost anyway?"  
  
"To answer your last question, almost three million in property damage. Mr. Calle informed me that any and all damage that occurs due to Superior's antics will be covered by the policy he currently has with Fortress Insurance," Piggot replied, tone hard. It was clear to everyone in the room that the Pig was not happy that Superior wasn't a Ward and thus, out of her control.  
  
Triumph folded his arms and shook his head. "I think Battery's right. The kid's a menace and he's obviously not right in the head. We all saw the video. He was laughing his head off while smashing Glory Girl's face in. We can't just let him go. What if he does something like this again?"  
  
"Eh, you sure about that, bro?" replied Assault. "It seems like the Undersiders and Glory Girl were the ones really causing the damage. Superior was just reacting to it and I don't really think he should be punished for that."  
  
"We're not even talking about punishment here," Battery said, lightly slapping him on the shoulder. "Look at the damage he caused. Every time he's been in a fight, this has happened. Lung, almost a third of the Docks ruined. The Undersiders, destroyed the interior of the bank. Glory Girl, ruined two streets in the middle of Downtown, destroyed two police cars and a PRT van. He needs the Wards for his own good. He needs to get training."  
  
Miss Militia decided to speak up. "Battery raises a good point. Despite the fact that his actions were understandable, he has displayed an eagerness for brutality and violence during his fights that are...unbecoming of a hero. Considering that he is most likely the strongest Brute in Brockton Bay, we have to do our best to get him some training. If we really can't get him to join the Wards, then we try and convince him to join the Wards as a provisional member, training with them and joining them on patrols."  
  
Various murmurs of assent arose around the table from all the Protectorate members. Sophia loved the idea. Greg might actually be fun to hang around if his attitude in a fight was any inclination. Although, from the grimaces on Aegis's, Gallant's and Kid Win's faces, they didn't really seem to be in support of the idea. Vista seemed to be smiling, though. Sophia couldn't tell if Clockblocker was happy or not, full face mask and everything.  
  
"Actually, there's something that's been kinda bothering me about this since I met the kid," Assault added. "I've met lots of Brutes before. The ones as strong as he is, they tend to have issues with their strength and learning how to fight with their new powers. Superior had none of that. His punches weren't clumsy and his movements weren't awkward. Compared to him, Glory Girl was fighting like an amateur. Apart from Aegis, she's never fought someone who could take her hits."  
  
Assault's words were met with a few confused looks and silence from the entire room as they tried to understand what he was getting at.  
Velocity spoke up first, impatience not letting him stay quiet. "And? What's the point?"  
  
"Listen, even when he was in the Rig on Monday, he seemed to have perfect control of his strength. He didn't even dent the bed and he's supposed to be a new trigger. I'm not saying he had perfect control. If he did, I wouldn't be bringing this up because it might just be part of his power but..his movements were cautious. Someone's definitely trained him. I'm not saying this is true...but I'm pretty sure there's another high-level Brute in Brockton Bay," concluded Assault.  
  
The entire room was silent as they processed Assault's words. Piggot's glare became murderous and she clenched her fists on the table, alerting Sophia to the fact that something was definitely wrong with the Pig.  
  
"...Deputy Rennick and I have to speak to Superior's lawyer...concerning several other matters that were addressed today. All of you," Piggot said, turning to the Wards, "I expect mission reports on the Undersiders and the details of their new abilities. However, you have till tomorrow to complete them. Superior is in the MedBay getting treatment from Panacea. I expect you to do your best to convince him to accept the offer to become a provisional member. See if you can get him to agree to power testing too. The more info we have on his abilities, the better. Consider this meeting adjourned."  
  
With that, the meeting was over and the lights returned to full brightness, annoying Shadow Stalker again but she didn't pay it much attention.  
Walking out of the conference room, she ignored Aegis calling her name and hurried out as quickly as possible. She had her mind set on something else.  
  
Greg Veder had really changed. No, she couldn't call him Greg anymore. He was Superior now and he had shown exactly why he deserved his name.  
  
An Empire fucker made him angry, Superior kicked his ass.  
  
Lung got in his way, he ripped the fucker's eyes out.  
  
Glory Girl tried to fuck with him, the bitch got her ass beat.  
  
Superior had shown that he was at the top of the food chain in Brockton Bay and he didn't take shit from anyone. He was a real man and she couldn't wait for him to join their team. Sophia had been looking for a good guy and for a while she hadn't thought she would ever find one. Gallant and Aegis had the muscles and square jaws that made other girls her age have to change their panties but they did nothing for her. She really didn't give a shit about looks for the most part. She wasn't shallow, after all. No, she just had standards. Superior was tough, he was brutal and best of all, he was a cape.  
  
Shadow Stalker nearly ran down the hallway, sliding into a just opened elevator, shoving aside some lab-coat wearing nerd who had been waiting for the elevator.  
  
"Hey, what the hell do you...."  
  
The nerd's complaints trailed off as he took a careful look at Sophia and realized exactly who he had just been yelling at. Sophia slowly turned to stare at him, her dark, intimidating mask doing most of the work for her.  
  
The guy slowly took a few steps back, his eyes never leaving her. "It's fine...I'll just take...uh...the stairs."  
  
Shadow Stalker nodded and he nodded back, a cautious expression on his face. Smirking underneath her mask, Sophia pressed the elevator button that lead to the MedBay and the tech walked away, frowning. The doors closed and Sophia's smirk turned into an eager smile as she thought of how today would go, all thoughts of her previous plans gone from her mind.  
  
She didn't know how she was going to do it but she would.  
  
Superior was going to be hers.  
  
  
\----------------------------------------  
PRT MedBay  
\----------------------------------------  
  
  
"Owwwwww!" whined Vicky, her voice carrying through the large hospital room. She lay in a bed, her costume shredded to the point that she wore little more than a crop top and hot pants.  
  
"...stop whining."  
  
"But it huuuuuuuurts. Can't you hurry up?"  
  
Amy Dallon sat next to her sister's bed, a visitor's badge around her neck and an annoyed grimace on her face as she listened to her sister whine again as she tapped away at her phone. "Stop complaining. I already healed all your serious injuries. You're just going to have to live with some bumps and bruises for a while."  
  
"Really, Ames? I thought you were my sister. Come on, don't you love me?" she said with a pout. Despite the beating she had received turning her normally flawless hair into a scattered mess, it still somehow managed to make a perfect golden halo around her face. It would have been much too cute for Amy to handle if Vicky hadn't immediately started whining again due to the cut on her lip. Man, she really wasn't used to pain.  
  
Amy sighed and turned to her sister. "Here, let me help you out a little bit." Brushing her fingers against Vicky's palm, the bruises and minor cuts dissapeared from her face, leaving only clear skin.  
  
"Oh, that feels better...ow!" Victoria sighed in relief but quickly winced again as the bruises on the rest of her body made their presence known. "Why can't you just do the rest too?"  
  
"You talked to Mom on the phone. You know why," Amy replied with a roll of her eyes.  
  
Vicky glanced at her with an awkward expression on her face. "No, no, I don't. I kinda tune Mom out whenever she gets angry."  
  
"Oh...of course **you** would....Mom said that she wants you to suffer a bit to learn a lesson because, and I quote," Amy screwed her face up to make the vaguely dissatisfied expression that Carol Dallon seemed to use as her calling card, "'If Vicky doesn't know better than to attack another hero for no good reason, then she can deal with some bruises.'"  
  
"No good reason?", Vicky said with a huff, "I thought that guy was gonna try and ra...hurt you. That's a good reason if I ever heard one."  
  
'Obviously, Mom doesn't think so,' thought Amy.  
  
Amy gave her sister a weak smile and shook her head. "Yeah, but we're New Wave, you know. We have to be a good example for Brockton Bay. You beating up on a rookie cape is not exactly showing a good example."  
  
Vicky frowned, folding her arms and pushing up her ample chest. The action combined with Vicky's current torn and scanty attire sent Amy's mind in several directions...several rather inappropriate directions. Her eyes moved away from Victoria's face down to her chest and from there, even further downward before shooting back up to her torso. Right in the center of Vicky's chest was a tear that seemed to increase a bit more with every single breath she took.  
  
'In...out...In...out...just...a...little...bit...m-'  
  
" **AMY!** "  
  
"Wha-huh-who!...yeah?" Suddenly jolted from her raunchy daydreams, Amy hurriedly looked around with an intense blush on her face, her own chest heaving.  
  
Victoria looked at Amy carefully, worry on her face. "You okay, Ames? You kinda spaced out."  
  
Nodding hurriedly, Amy made sure her eyes stayed firmly on her sister's face. "Yeah, yeah, yeah...just a little bit tired."  
  
Vicky tilted her head, raising an eyebrow at her sister. "You sure? 'Cause I think you might have a little bump on your head."  
  
Amy raised a hand to her left temple and carefully touched the raised skin there, hissing a little at the stinging pain. "Yeah, I got hit by some debris in the bank fight. I'm fine, though. What were you saying again?"  
  
Vicky still looked somewhat concerned but she continued. "If you say so...I was saying that it wasn't really my fault. That other guy Superior was pretty crazy. Asshole was smiling and laughing the entire fight. Smashed my face into a cop car. I mean, that's fucked up, right?"  
  
Amy shook her head slowly. "I don't think he's really crazy. In the bank, when he got really hurt, he kinda went a little berserk.  
That's probably how his power deals with too much pain."  
  
"Whatever. At least the guy knows how to throw a punch," Vicky replied, rubbing her jaw. "Kinda weird, really. He hit so hard it was like I could feel some of those hits through my forcefield...." She paused, glancing at her bruised arms. "Actually, I think..."  
  
"Vicky?", Amy asked cautiously.  
  
Her sister's eyes were distant, almost as if she wasn't looking at her hands as much as she was looking through them and she spoke in a low tone. "It's just...I don't know what...mayb-"  
Vicky cut herself off and both her and Amy looked up as someone knocked on the door of the room. "Come in," answered Amy.  
  
The door opened and a nurse walked in, a chart in one hand.  
  
"Hello, Panacea, Glory Girl," said the nurse, a slight smile on her face. "Sorry to bother you but...umm..."  
  
Amy raised an eyebrow. "Is there something wrong?"  
  
The nurse shook her head. "No, it's just that the patient with the amputated wrist, a...," the nurse paused again, glancing at the chart she carried, "Superior, is ready if you're available. He's right across the hall." Smiling again, she closed the door behind her.  
  
Amy found herself blinking in surprise at the nurse's statement. "Amputated wrist? Vicky, did you-"  
  
Vicky shook her head and spoke quickly, interrupting her sister's question. "I...I don't know anything about that. I may have broken his wrist but I definitely didn't cut it off." Her eyes were wide with surprise, lacking the dullness that were in them just a few moments ago.  
  
"Okay...I guess. Anything you wanna talk about...before I go?" Amy asked her sister.  
  
Vicky shook her head again. "Nah...I don't even know what I was going to say. It was probably nothing. I'll be getting ready to fly home in a minute or two. Can you finish by then? "  
  
"Yeah, I'll be done by then but are you sure you're okay?" Amy asked again.  
  
"Yeah, I;m fine."  
  
Shrugging, Amy stood up. "If you're sure." Walking into the hallway, she glanced back to see her sister looking at her arms with the same confusion on her face.  
  
'What's up with Vicky?'  
  
Sighing, Amy turned away and walked across the hall to the room the nurse had mentioned. She raised a hand to knock only to step back quickly as the door suddenly opened, nearly striking her in the face.  
  
A well-dressed Hispanic man stepped out of the room carrying a briefcase, an annoyed look on his scarred face. Catching sight of Amy, his annoyance shifted to surprise. "Pardon me, I wasn't aware someone was at the door."  
  
"It's no problem. You didn't hit me," Amy replied.  
  
The man smiled at her and nodded. "Ah, that's very good. I'd hate to hurt a nice young girl like yourself."  
  
She smiled back, unsure of what to say and after a moment of silence, the man walked past her, a frown sliding back onto his face. Giving him a parting look, Amy turned back to the door and after a second of hesitation, walked into the room.  
  
As if drawn by a magnet, Her eyes immediately locked themselves to his body. How couldn't she? His chest caught her eye immediately. Not in that way, of course. She only had eyes for one person but...his body was interesting in a different way. Frankly, it didn't make sense. He was muscular, very much so. However, he was also still skinny and somewhat...gangly. Instead of building muscle, it looked like every single muscle already in his body just...tightened. Every single muscle on his chest and arms was defined in it's entirety. It was an odd sight but not unappealing...to some people, not her.  
  
He slowly lifted his head to look at her, a weak smile on his face.  
  
She smiled back at him, her own grin just as weak and awkward.  
  
It only took her a few seconds to realize how weird they must have looked. Two teenagers just staring and giving each other awkward, forced smiles. The thought was enough to propel her to actually say something.  
  
"Hey..."  
  
It wasn't poetry but it was a start.  
  
"Hey...again," he replied, his smile becoming a bit less weak.  
  
The two of them stared at each other again and Amy began to twitch as every single second of silence only made the whole situation feel more and more awkward.  
  
"So...I hear you lost your hand..." Amy paused as she realized what she just said and she mentally face-palmed. 'I hear you lost your hand...Good job, Amy. That's how you start a conversation.'  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted by laughter and she blinked in surprise as Superior chuckled in front of her as if he had heard the funniest joke of his life.  
He placed a hand around his stomach as he continued to laugh. "I'm sorry..hehehe...it's just...oh my god...I heard you lost your hand...that...that was pretty funny."  
  
Blushing in embarrassment, Amy simply stood there feeling awkward as his laughter slowly trailed away.  
  
Still chuckling, he looked up at her with a rather large smile on his face. "Hey, Panacea..."  
  
"What?"  
  
Superior raised his right hand from where he had kept it under the bed covers and Panacea raised a hand to her mouth. She hadn't expected it to be this bad. When she had seen him fighting, it had reminded her of Vicky. He had the same raw power, that unmistakable strength and sheer confidence. Seeing him as he was was, he seemed so...normal. His hand had already healed over, leaving little more than a stump at the wrist. Despite this, he was still smiling at her as if nothing was wrong. "I know I'm kinda missing my right, but on the other hand," he paused, lifting up his whole left hand, "I'm just fine."  
  
There was a long moment of silence between the two as Amy processed what he had just said. Then raucous laughter burst from her throat before she could stop it.  
Amy couldn't help it. The terrible pun combined with the ridiculous grin on his face were just too much for her to handle.  
  
"You know, now that I lost my right hand, I notice that there's something weird with my left...but I just can't put my finger on it."  
  
She doubled over with laughter.  
  
"You know, this is all my fault. I should have stopped fighting before things got too much for me to handle."  
  
Leaning on the door to support herself, she looked up at him, still giggling like a crazy person. "Stop it!"  
  
He stopped talking but the smile stayed plastered on his face. "Something wrong? Don't you like my jokes?"  
  
'Something wrong? You lost a hand! At least act like you care!' She tried to glare at him but the unwilling smile on her face ruined any force it may have had.  
"No, I don't. They're terrible and...those puns...they're just...really bad. All of them are...are..."  
  
Superior smirked at Amy's words. "Wait, wait. Let me guess...getting out of hand?"  
  
"......." Amy stared at him silently, a blank look on her face.  
  
"Come on...that one was funny too."  
  
"......"  
  
Superior sighed and raised his stump up once again. "Fine, I'll be serious," he said, smirking.  
  
Folding her arms over her chest, Amy narrowed her eyes at the joking amputee. "Completely serious?"  
  
"Completely. All bad puns aside, I'm out on a limb here. You think you could give me a hand?", Superior joked.  
  
Amy sighed. "...look, to be honest, I don't even know if I can help you. How did you even lose your hand anyway? Vicky said that it wasn't her fault."  
  
"That's a really good question," Greg replied, nodding carefully.  
  
Frowning, Amy raised her eyebrow quizzically. "What's the answer?"  
  
"Well, I was kinda trying out something new with my powers. It...it didn't go well. Apparently, my Striker power isn't really Manton limited so..." he waved the stump to emphasize his point.  
  
"So, you blew off your own hand."  
  
Superior clicked his tongue and nodded his head nonchalantly, as if talking about the weather. "Yeah, I did."  
  
"Wow..." replied Amy, shaking her head. "Either way, I still can't help you. You don’t have any excess fat on your body for me to use.”  
  
Superior raised an eyebrow.“Is that really necessary?”  
  
“If you don’t want to look like a skeleton, then yeah, it kinda is.”  
  
“Well, I’m sorry that my body is in such perfect shape.”  
  
Amy gave his stump of a hand a pointed look. “Perfect shape…really? Okay, listen, Superior, I-”  
  
“Greg.”  
  
“Huh?”  
  
He grinned at her, displaying every single one of his ridiculously shiny white teeth. “Greg Veder, that’s my name. You don’t have to call me Superior.”  
  
‘What is it with this guy? First he’s all nervous like me and now he’s being all cool and nice…weird.’ “Okay…you can call me Amy. Look, I can’t heal your arm as you are. You really have to gain some weight otherwise the biomass to fix you is going to come from somewhere important.”  
  
Greg sat up in the hospital bed, the covers falling away from his chest allowing Amy to get a glimpse at his waist . ‘Oh my god, he’s naked! Why is he naked?’  
  
“I can heal myself, though. It shouldn’t matter right?”  
  
“Ummm…I don't...know...” ‘Does it matter?’ Amy hadn’t really healed any capes with healing factors as strong as his so the possibility was there.  
  
"Why don't we just try?" he replied, the same goofy, nonchalant smile still on his face.  
  
"...okay." Amy stepped away from the door and walked up to the side of his bed. She held her hand over his stump and glanced at him. "Ready?"  
  
Greg nodded.  
  
She placed her hand on his arm and the unnatural details of his body filled her mind once again. In a few seconds, his hand had regrown perfectly, flesh smoothly flowing into place.  
  
Greg held up his hand, flexing and making a fist. "Wow, you're just as amazing as last time. Thanks, Amy...Amy? You all right?"  
  
Amy nodded blankly, not fully paying attention to his words. She had healed his wrist and regrown his hand. It was a simple manipulation of his skin, muscles, nerves and keratin. She had done similar operations hundreds of times.  
  
It was basic.  
  
It was routine.  
  
It was...too easy.  
  
Amy found healing people rather easy, in general. There were no issues she couldn't deal with, as long as they weren't related to the brain. However, accidents that lead to missing body parts were a different matter. To replace a body part that was no longer there, she needed biomass. Whether it came from the person themselves or something else, she needed living matter to restore body parts.  
  
That was no longer the case. She had seen the inner workings of Greg's body, seen where his skin had healed over and the blood had clotted, preventing his wrist from bleeding out. She had seen every single part of his body, from his insanely designed brain to his size 9 feet. No biomass had moved from anywhere else in his body. His hand had just _regrown_ itself on her command and if that wasn't odd enough, it had been so smooth and quick that she had barely noticed she was done. 'Just weird.'  
  
"Panacea!!"  
  
Amy looked up in surprise, jumping a bit. Greg was barely a few inches from her nose as he leaned forward in bed. His hand held hers with an iron grip that felt intimately familiar as it reminded her of Vicky's own strong hands.  
  
"You alright?"  
  
Amy nodded fiercely. "Yeah, I was just thinking about something....you were saying something?"  
  
Greg nodded. "Yeah, I was saying that it looks like I owe you another one for helping me out again. You're really nice," he answered, grinning at her.  
  
Shaking her head, Amy took a few steps back and her hand slipped out of Greg's with a gentle tug. "No, no, no. It's fine, seriously."  
  
Greg shook his own head side to side in response. "No way, I'm not taking no for an answer. You've helped me out twice. You deserve something."  
  
"No, I'm seriously okay."  
  
His head tilted in confusion and a look of disappointment crossed his face. "You sure?  
  
Amy winced as she glanced at him. As he was right now, his blue eyes all big and his lip jutting out in a pout, he looked at her the same way Vicky looked when she wanted something. It was an expression that never failed to tug on her heartstrings and now was no different. "...Fine, what do you have in mind?"  
  
He opened his mouth and paused for a moment as if thinking about it. "...how about...dinner?"  
  
Amy arched an eyebrow. 'So he just wants a date...of course, what else did I expect?' "Dinner? You want to go out with me?"  
  
His eyes widened in surprise and she noticed a tinge of red in his cheeks. "No, no, no, no...not like a date. I don't want to go on a date. Not that you're not pretty or anything. You're really pretty. Beautiful, even....Like, I'm not just saying that too, really. I just don't want to date you."  
  
Amy blushed a little bit and she pursed her lips. As Greg spoke, she wasn't sure whether to feel insulted or complimented. 'You're beautiful but I don't want to date you?'  
  
"Thank you...I think?"  
  
Greg threw his head back and let out a breath of air. "No, don't...It's not like that. There's this other girl I like and I'm trying to ask her out but I keep getting nervous. Honestly, I think she's kinda out of my league."  
  
She waited for him to start laughing but he simply stared at her. When she realized he wasn't joking, she simply gave him a blank look. "Nervous? Out of your league? Greg, Superior, you beat Lung...today, you fought a team of villains and Glory Girl. What the hell do **you** have to be nervous about? And out of your league? Who in Brockton Bay could possibly be out of your le...." Amy paused as a sudden realization and a hint of annoyance made it's way into her expression. "It's Vicky, isn't it? That's the girl?"  
  
"Vicky?", Greg stared at her, obviously confused by her question. "Who's...oh, you mean Glory Girl? No, it's not her. I don't...I don't really like blondes. It's a personal thing."  
  
"You don't like...but you're blonde, though. And so is your mom."  
  
"Yeah, but I don't want to date myself or my mom," Greg replied with a grin. "So, whaddya say? Dinner tomorrow...as friends?"  
  
Amy smiled at him. 'He's kinda weird and he talks a lot but he's not the worst guy I know.' "Fine, why not? You seem harmless enough."  
  
"Don't you mean armless?" he said, waggling his eyebrows.  
  
Amy groaned, face-palming. "God, you're worse than Clockblocker!"  
  
"Come on, Amy. Just make one arm joke. You know you want tooooo."  
  
Amy stared at him again, her blank look sliding back onto her face. "I really don't."  
  
"Come on."  
  
"No."  
  
"Come on."  
  
"No."  
  
"Come oooooon."  
  
Letting out a breath through her nostrils, Amy huffed. "Fine...I'm glad I was able to...lend a hand."  
  
Greg leaned back on his bed, smiling at the annoyed healer cape. "See, wasn't that fun?"  
  
"...Bye, Greg. See you tomorrow." Rolling her eyes, Panacea walked toward the door.  
  
"WAIT!"  
  
Panacea turned her head at Greg's call. "You want something?"  
  
"We didn't get each other's numbers. How are we supposed to make plans?"  
  
Amy sighed, her hand still on the doorknob. "You can go ahead and make the plans. Surprise me. I'll be ready at my house by seven pm tomorrow."  
  
"Oh...okay."  
  
"Bye, Greg. Don't go losing another hand." With that said, Panacea left the room, leaving Greg alone with his thoughts.  
  
Five minutes later, Greg sighed as a thought suddenly made it's way into the forefront of his mind and he ran his fingers through his loose Mohawk.  
  
"I forgot to ask her to fix my hair! God Damnit!"  
  



	34. Interlude 2f: Evron Grey

Interlude 2f: Evron Grey  
  
  
  
Mickey leaned up against the dumpster behind the alley wall, hands on his knees as he took in heavy, rasping breaths. Sweat poured down his brow, making his already red-rimmed eyes even more irritated. A rather large bag on his back seemed to be doing all it could to weigh him down, giving him a bit of a hump.  
  
Slowly catching his breath, Mickey wiped his mouth with the back of his palm, not even caring that he was spreading some dirt on his face. It didn't matter to him at all. His face was already smeared with grime, dried blood and other miscellaneous filth. The clothes he wore, from the tattered scarf around his neck to the stolen pair of Jordans on his feet, were exactly the same. Scratching his ratty brown hair, he spit on the dirty alley ground and let out a sigh.  
  
With a slight grunt, the filthy young man stood up as straight as he could and jerked his head around to both sides of the alley. Satisfied that he was alone, he reached into the front pockets of something that may once have been a pair of cargo shorts and pulled out a leather wallet with a swastika on the side and a pocket knife that was slick with fresh blood.  
  
Throwing the small knife to the ground, Mickey raised the wallet to his face, a yellow-toothed smile spreading across his face.  
  
The smile vanished in an instant.  
  
"Fuckin' cum-suckin' Nazi cunt!", he screamed, throwing the wallet to the ground. "Broke-ass motherfucker! Shit!"  
  
Sighing, Mickey slumped to the ground, putting his head between his knees. With a glance at the blood-covered switchblade next to him, he shook his head. This wasn't what he wanted with his life. Twenty-four and nothing more than a low-level drug dealer, he was stuck mugging people just to make enough money to prove his worth.  
  
Mickey frowned, sighing. "Fuck it, Bam ain't gonna find out about this." Removing his backpack from his shoulders, he placed it between his legs and pulled open the zipper. The second he saw the contents of the bag, his face visibly lit up, the manic greed of an addict showing clearly.  
  
The night of the Riots had not been good to the Merchants. When most of your members are high during a gang fight, they're not going to do all that well. Case in point, a large amount of Merchants had been arrested or killed on Monday night. One of them was a dealer named Ruiz that happened to be a few rungs up the totem pole from Mickey. Mickey knew Ruiz well enough to know that the hispanic Merchant had a large stash hidden in his place, a stash that was now in his possession.  
  
Mickey had trashed the fucker's place this morning searching for his really good shit, the same shit that he had gotten as a gift from the big boss. By the time he had found it, Ruiz's apartment was destroyed, a complete fucking mess. It had taken hours but he had found everything. No more stealing money for his boss, Bam, so he could get something better than the rationed amounts of drugs the Merchants provided for their members. No more having to cut the weed he sold with more powerful stuff to try and get people hooked. He was free of all that shit.  
  
At least, for as long as Ruiz's supply lasted.  
  
If you hadn't already guessed, Mickey was not one of the more upstanding examples of society. No, as a Merchant, Mickey was considered the lowest of the low. His name wasn't even Mickey. One of the other dealers had simply remarked that he looked like a mouse with all his twitching and another had mentioned the famous animated rodent. And just like that, he was branded. Michael O'Connor was now and forever Mickey the Mouse.  
  
Everything had changed for the young man so quickly and he had no choice but to go along with it.  
  
It had been over three years ago when it happened. Mickey, the uptight English major that he was, decided to loosen up and go to a frat party. He was enjoying himself so much he had taken things a step further, ditching beer for shots of vodka and some weird yellow pill. It didn't take long for him to realize that he had fucked up, losing himself to the point that he could barely even walk straight. Later that night, he ended up following some weird looking guys in an attempt to get some more drugs. When he woke up, he found himself strung out and needing more...whatever it was that he had been injected with.  
  
Before that night, he had never thought much about the Merchants. To his former self, they were the worst sort of scum, and their boss was the biggest example of that; dirty, stupid and worthless as well.  
  
Now, though...now he knew better.  
  
When you were looking from the outside, the Merchants looked like a bunch of druggies that banded together.  
  
On the inside...well, they were pretty much that. They were actually organized, though. They had something like a hierarchy and only other Merchants knew how the system worked.  
  
Skidmark wasn't stupid either. Nah, the boss could probably teach a Chemistry course over at Brown. Everyone knew Skids knew how to cook the best shit. Shit that gave you thrills, the best high that stayed with you for hours and got you hooked as quick as possible.  
  
Other gangs sold drugs.  
  
Skidmark created them.  
  
The best part about the Merchants was the incentives. The better you did, the more drugs you sold and the more people you turned would get you noticed by the boss and his personal crew. When you got noticed, you got gifts. Gifts like new bongs, better weapons and best of all, drugs the boss made personally.  
  
Mickey knew that Ruiz was serious about the Merchant life, treating this shit like a fucking job. The guy had quotas and he made charts for himself and everything. He kept notes on what he sold and where it sold best. He would travel out of town and mug homeless people several times a week, shooting them up with the real good stuff and making sure they were hooked before taking them back to one of the safehouses. He was a fucking over-achieving motherfucker on some OCD-type shit but that fucker knew what he was doing. His OCD shit actually worked. Skids even knew him by name, and wasn't that fucking rare? With how well he was doing, he definitely had tons of Skidmark's shit.  
  
Mickey shoved his hand into the bag, digging around. There were dozens of small plastic baggies in the bag with a multitude of multicolored pills, tablets, powders and leaves. The longer he continued searching, he began to worry he wouldn't find what he had been looking for.  
  
No...no...no...no...maybe later...no...n-YES!  
  
His hands trembled with joy and more than a little trepidation as he brought out the small Ziploc bag. In addition to it's small size, it contained less than five tiny uneven-looking red pills that made Mickey drool at the sight of them. This...this was what he had been waiting for. This was what had gotten him hooked.  
  
Devil Dust, Skidmark's take on PCP, was everything to the strung-out shell of a man. Mickey knew that he would do anything for more of this. Hell, he had been planning on killing Ruiz to get at his supply and he considered the fucker a friend. That didn't really have any weight on his decision to murder the man anyway as Mickey knew that he would have killed the bastard in a second just to get at his shit. Fuck, he would have offered to suck Skidmark's dick simply to get a taste of his personal supply but he knew that wouldn't work. Skids already had his blonde big-titted Tinker bitch to fuck.  
  
He knew he was never going to leave the Merchants. He was a druggie and this was his life now. He doubted his family or friends wanted him around considering that he had robbed them blind several times. He had no skills and the way he looked now with his collapsed veins and multiple skin rashes, it'd be impossible for him to get a job now.  
  
No, this was for the best. After all, he couldn't live a normal life knowing these tiny red babies were out there somewhere just waiting for him.  
  
His hands trembled and shook as he tried to open the tiny little baggie.  
  
"Chill, man, fuckin' chill....relax...ju-just smooth," Mickey whispered to himself, in an attempt to force himself to calm down. He couldn't afford to get twitchy and drop the fucking pills. He'd lose it if he lost this shit. He only had five of them, after all. "It's been so fuckin' long."  
  
It had been a long time. Three years since he had gotten hooked, in fact. Three long, long, long years since he had taken sweet, sweet Devil Dust. As a rank and file member of the Merchants, he only had access to drugs that he was expected to sell. Stealing from the supply got you a visit from Mush and no one wanted to face his special "Trash Compactor."  
  
Left with no other choice, he had been forced to make due with the rationed drugs all the other lazy assholes got, weak-ass Heroin and PCP that were padded with various other substances. It was...okay but nothing like what he remembered.  
  
It just wasn't Devil Dust.  
  
Reaching a trembling hand into the bag, he grabbed hold of a single pill and brought it out. Just the sight of it brought back memories of the best high he'd ever had. He needed this more than anything. He raised the pill to his mouth and suddenly fumbled as a loud car-alarm went off just outside the alley. The pill tumbled from his fingers and he was barely quick enough to catch it, preventing it from getting lost in the grime of the alley.  
  
He glanced at the entrance of the alley and his breath quickened as he saw what was clearly another Merchant rush past the alley entrance, car stereo in hand.  
  
'No...The fuck am I doing? Getting high in the middle of the Docks? Fuck, I'd be lucky if some fucker only stole my shit and didn't slit my throat too.' Glancing back at the red pill, Mickey dropped it into the bag with a sad look and closed up the baggie.  
  
Shaking his head regretfully, Mickey put the baggie back into his backpack. Despite his urge to simply take the pill, getting high in the middle of the Docks was a horrible idea. It would probably cost him his life if he used it here and now. No, he had to wait till he got back to his place. After all, he had waited three years, he could handle a few more minutes.  
  
Zipping the bag closed, he quickly picked it up, throwing it over his shoulder. He stood up and prepared to exit the alley only to backpedal into the dumpster, a look of stricken fear on his grimy face.  
  
Mickey had been rather careful choosing this alley. Taking into account the fact that he had committed several crimes this morning, he had done his best to get away from the scene of the crime, only stopping to mug a lone E88 member.  
  
From what he could tell, he had been the only one in the alley. He had checked, after all. Besides, with almost a quarter of the Docks gone, not too many people wanted to stay in the area. Mickey thought he was safe from any prying eyes.  
  
Apparently, he was wrong.  
  
The first thing he noticed was the hair. Instead of it being grey or a really light blonde, it was just...white. If he had been older, it wouldn't have been so strange but the face that stood across from him couldn't have been older than eighteen. He wore a formfitting sleeveless black shirt with luminescent blue circuitry running up and down the sides where the seams would be. His pants bore the same design.  
  
"Hey there," the boy said cheerfully, lifting up a hand in a lazy wave.  
  
Mickey shook against the wall, fears running through his mind. He hadn't heard a single footstep or even noticed he had been there. How long had he been there, anyway? How could he have snuck up on him so easily? Was that his power?  
He had to be cape, he just had to be.  
  
Mickey opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out but throaty gasps.  
'A cape....a fucking cape....I'm done.' He was a regular guy. Put him up against a regular guy and he would use every dirty trick in the book to made sure they stayed down for good. A cape, though? He couldn't take on a cape and he wasn't stupid or high enough to try.  
  
"Hey, buddy."  
  
Mickey raised a finger to point at himself, hand quivering like a leaf. "...m-m-m-me?"  
  
The cape kid nodded. "Yeah, you. What were you doing? Something illegal?"  
  
Mickey shook his head quickly, eyes wide with fear. "No-no-no-no-no! Nothing!"  
  
The cape tilted his head to the side, his lips forming a knowing smile. "I don't think that's true. "  
  
Swallowing, Mickey tried to step back only to flinch upon feeling the rough brick wall behind him. "I don't...I don't...uh..."  
  
With a slight wave of his hand, the bloody knife Mickey had dropped earlier flew from the ground and into the hands of the white haired boy, startling the Merchant even more.  
  
He lifted the knife to eye level, ignoring the blood on his fingers from holding the blade. "Look, you seem like a nice, honest and decent guy," he continued, twirling the knife through his fingers. "You might be a bit down on your luck but that doesn't make you a criminal, am I right?"  
  
There was a silence and Mickey realized that the cape expected him to say something. Although, when it comes to asking a question you want someone to respond to, better effort should really be made to make sure it doesn't come off as rhetorical. The little bit of English Major still kicking around in Mickey's head almost begged him to correct the cape's sentence structure. "Uh...no?"  
  
The cape nodded sagely, still twirling the knife faster and faster.  
  
"See, man, I'm not saying you're a liar. Really, I'm not. It's just that I'm pretty sure you stabbed a guy with this knife...," he paused, balancing the tip of said knife on his thumb without even glancing at it.  
  
Another wave of his hand and a wallet appeared in front of Mickey's face, hovering in the air. He began to sweat as soon as he saw the familiar swastika emblazoned on the wallet. 'Holy...no, this guy's E88 too. He's a fuckin' villain. I'm dead!'  
  
"I think you stole from him too. Took his wallet and everything. Guy's probably bleeding out right now, huh?", he continued, blue eyes twinkling mischievously. "I mean, he was a Nazi so I can understand, but still. All that seems pretty bad..."  
  
Mickey could barely keep himself from hyperventilating. This cape just messing around with him before he was going to kill him! He knew it! He had to...he had to say something.  
  
Trembling like a child, Mickey began to shed fat tears. "Please, please, please, man, don't kill me. I didn't know the guy was E88...and it-it-it was too late when I realized it. I'll leave the Merchants, I promise! I'm white, man! I'll join the Empire too! I'll tell you everything I know! Please!"  
  
The cape raised an eyebrow. "I'm not part of the Empire, man."  
  
Mickey's breathing slowed and he paused before he spoke again, slowly gulping. "So you're not gonna kill me?"  
  
He laughed slowly, a light sound that managed to terrify Mickey even more. "Well, that all depends on you, doesn't it? I mean, let's go over what crimes you've committed since I actually noticed you running around town. There's breaking and entering, aggravated battery, attempted murder, theft..."  
  
The cape was still speaking in that same calm, friendly tone as he went over the laundry list of crimes Mickey had committed, almost as if the two were old friends. All the while, the switchblade began to spin on top of his finger, drawing Mickey's attention. As it spun faster and faster, it began to glow the same shade of blue as the cape's eyes, and little sparks seemed to be running up and down the blade.  
  
"...and that's without even getting into possession. I mean, did you think I wouldn't notice the huge amount of drugs you're carrying around in that backpack?," he added nonchalantly.  
  
Mickey froze up and glanced at the smiling cape.  
  
"...am...am I going to jail?" He winced as soon as he voiced the question. The guy was a superhero so of course he was going to take him to jail.  
  
Instead of responding, the cape grinned, showing off his perfect white teeth. Mickey shuddered again. As a Merchant, he didn't like heroes off of sheer principle but he wanted to be a thousand miles away from this one right now. With his white hair, pale skin and the odd, friendly way he spoke, this cape was completely freaking Mickey the fuck out. If that wasn't enough, then the fact that he threatened to kill him while smiling the whole time and appearing out of nowhere like some fucking vampire was even more terrifying.  
  
"Well, again, that all depends on you. Considering how easily you gutted that Nazi, you've probably murdered at least two other people since you've been a Merchant. Actually, you know what?" The cape paused and cocked his head, the spinning knife coming to an immediate stop and falling into the palm of his hand. He raised the knife, blade no longer sparking with electricity, and pointed it at Mickey's eye, his grin becoming much scarier as his perfect flat teeth became long and sharp. "Now that I think about it, I really should just kill you..."  
  
Mickey's jaw fell open and he tried to back away only to realize, with a sinking feeling, that he was already hugging the alley wall.  
  
'No! No! No! No!' Mickey opened his mouth to beg, but as before, fear had locked up his lungs, preventing him from doing more than wheezing. He couldn't breathe and any attempt to shout for help left his mouth hanging open in a silent mockery of a scream.  
  
The cape stepped forward, the switchblade still in his palm and Mickey threw his hands in front of him, a whimper making it's way out of his mouth.  
  
Instead of stabbing him, the cape flipped the knife until his fingers were holding the blade and he held out the hilt to Mickey, presenting him his weapon.  
  
There was silence between the two as he simply stood there staring at the blade. His eyes moved upwards from the blade to stare at the cape kid and he flinched again as he locked eyes with him.  
  
The cape was watching him closely with his head tilted in a way that could almost be described as childlike if it wasn't for the intensity his stare had. His wide grin displayed his pointed teeth and, worst of all, his eyes had started to shine, giving off an eerie blue light.  
  
Turning away from his penetrating gaze, Mickey glanced back down at the knife that was being held out towards him. 'W-what does he want? Isn't he going to kill me? Is he just playing around? Does he want me to take the knife? I don't get it!' Sweat ran down his brow in rivulets from the stress as he repeatedly, glanced up and down between the cape and the knife, indecision and fear preventing him from moving.  
  
He looked up again to see the cape's grin begin to fade, his eyes losing their playfulness, and the beginnings of a frown starting to form on his face.  
  
'Take it! Take the knife before he changes his mind!' With a trembling hand, Mickey picked up the knife and gave the cape opposite him a strained smile. "T-thank you..."  
  
The cape stepped back, eyes still glowing, and sighed. "As I was saying, I really should kill you but...I have a better idea. First things first, what's your name?"  
  
"My...m-my name?"  
  
The cape nodded in response.  
  
"It's Mick..." Mickey paused. There was no reason to give this cape his nickname. All that might do is set him off again for not being truthful. "I'm Mike...O'Connor. Michael O'Connor."  
  
"Well, Mike, you can call me...eh...fuck it, I don't care...Call me Evron," the cape replied, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, Mike, you like getting high, right?"  
  
Mike blinked at Evron and stared at him for a few seconds, well aware that Evron knew full well that he was carrying a large amount of drugs on his person. 'Is that a trick question? Doesn't matter. Just tell the truth!'  
  
"Y-yeah..."  
  
Evron clasped his hands together and raised them to his face, somewhat hiding his smile. "What would you say if I could give you something that could give you the best high of your life?"  
  
'I have no fucking idea what's going on right now.' "Uhh...I'm good. I-I already got high a c-couple hours ago. I'm f-fine," he replied slowly, unsure of what to say.  
  
"You sure? Cause I have a brand new drug with me. It can really change your life." Evron smirked as he said this, opening up his clenched hands.  
  
Mike gasped as he saw what he held. A thin line of fine blue powder lay in his palm, each single crystalline flake glowing just the tiniest bit and contributing to the sparkling azure lightshow in his hand.  
  
"Do you want to be clean, Mike? Not be stuck looking for your next fix." Evron asked, his eyes losing their glow.  
  
Transfixed by the sight of the tiny crystalline powder, Mike nodded slowly, his mind moving oddly slow. "Yeah...that'd be...that'd be cool."  
  
"These crystals, right here, can do that for you. Just snort them right up, okay. Can you do that for me?"  
  
Mike nodded slowly. 'That sounded like a good idea. Free drugs were always good, yeah. Wait, Free?!' Mike felt his thoughts speed up and he realized something was wrong immediately. Drugs were never free. Free drugs meant bad things for the user.  
  
"I-I-I'm good, man. I really don't need anymore drugs. I'm already-" Mike shut up as Evron's grin widened, stretching to lengths that he wasn't sure a person's face could handle.  
  
"Come on, Mike. It's me, Ev. You know. We've been hanging out for a while now. I offered you some drugs. I found your knife for you. It's our little joke, man. I try to kill you, you act like you're scared. Come on, man. **Remember**. "  
  
Mikey looked up at Evron, confused as to what he was saying. "I d-don't. Who..." he paused, a headache forming as he tried to think, his thoughts escaping him. A single drop of blood fell from his nose and he swayed on his feet before hurriedly steadying himself. He glanced up at at Evron, a dazed expression on his face. "W-what are you talking about, man? Of course I know you. We're friends, man. I wouldn't forget you. I must have gotten really high or something. My head's all messed up."  
  
Evron nodded, his smile becoming much less forced. "Yeah, you gotta lay off of that weak shit. It's definitely cut with something weird. You gotta try this, though. Ii made it myself and It'll fix you right up."  
  
Mike returned Evron's smile with one of his own and pulled out a straw from one of the pockets of his cargo shorts. Placing one end in his nostril, he laid the other on Evron's palm and in one smooth, practiced movement, the entire line had vanished up the straw.  
  
Mike blinked rapidly and stepped back, the straw falling out of his hand. This...this was amazing. This was living. His eyes widened, his senses expanding in a sudden rush. The world unfolded in front of him, ideas and inspiration filling his mind with thoughts that he couldn't yet comprehend. Colors, pictures, thoughts, experiences...all of them unfamiliar, but so amazing.  
  
Images grew into thoughts, thoughts grew into ideas, ideas became more and more complex every single moment. He needed to do something, to make something, to invent anything. His hands needed to do **_something!_**  
  
Pain racked his brain and he stumbled into the wall, clutching his head, his mouth open in a silent scream.  
  
More and more poured into his mind, increasing his understanding to heights that he never thought possible until...it just stopped.  
  
Mike collapsed to his knees, saliva dribbling from the sides of his mouth. Ideas still raced through his mind but at a more sedate pace, the movement of a car compared to the speed of a bullet. That drug...that blue powder...it had been magical. A high that even Devil Dust couldn't beat. For a minute, he had known everything, understood everything. He had been **GOD**.  
  
Now, though, he was shaken, his mind unsure of what exactly he had seen. Blood dripped from his nose, his head _burned_ and he felt like sleeping forever. Despite all of that, he still felt _great_...or at the very least, better than usual. His limbs no longer felt like lead weights, and the itching that came with his skin rashes no longer burned. His mind...oh, his mind was clearer than it had been in years and he could actually think again. His thoughts seemed to be filled with thoughts of drugs, though...which was normal.  
  
Looking up at the figure standing above him, he blinked in surprise. "Hey, thanks for the stuff, man. Nice of you, really. It was...great," he paused, wincing as a powerful burst of pain from his headache caught him unawares,"....I think but...what... _AAAAHH!"_  
  
Mike tried to stand up but stumbled, another surge of pain sending him down to his hands and knees. His muscles weren't responding. They were...they were doing...things. Moving when he didn't want them to, jerking all over the place. What happened to him,"Ev...Ev...what was that? What did you...do to..urggh...me?" Mike felt a weightless sensation surround his body, the world suddenly lurching as he was lifted into the air directly in front of Evron.  
  
The white haired-cape simply stared at Mike as his muscles spasmed and seized in the air, a disinterested look on his face. "We're friends, Mike. Don't worry, I won't hurt you. You'll be fine. I made you better, more than human. Tell me, how do you feel, Mike?"  
  
"...ugh...My head hurts and my body...is like-"  
  
Evron shook his head and sighed. "I don't care about your body, Michael. I'll fix that later. Tell me about your head."  
  
Michael groaned again, his body rebelling against him. "There's all these ideas...in my head. Like chemicals...medicine... _ **drugs."**_  
  
A blinding smile appeared on Evron's face and he let out a slow chuckle. "That's amazing, Mike. You have no idea how lucky you are right now."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Doesn't matter now. Let's get you cleaned up." Evron's eyes emanated that blue light once again, his pupils disappearing and he raised one hand into the air.   
  
Mike gasped as what could only be described as a tear in space opened a few feet above them. Wider than he was tall and emanating dark blue light, the thing looked terrifying, to say the least.   
  
Mike wasn't scared, though. His buddy was by his side and he knew that, as strong as Ev was, he'd protect him. Evron was a good friend and he would never hurt him.   
  
In a flash, the two were gone, leaving an empty alley behind.


	35. Complications 2.8B

Greg narrowed his eyes at the object on his bed, something the PRT had been kind enough to give him once again and something that was annoying the hell out of him right now.  
  
Stepping forward, he stretched out a single hand but the second he so much as grazed the object, he drew his hand back quickly, his lips turned down into a scowl. He knew he couldn't use it without something bad happening and frankly, the PRT should have known that before they gave it to him. Hell, the nurse should have thought ahead before she gave it to him. But then again, she said that they didn't have anymore right now.  
  
It was something that Greg had come to hate over the past month, an item that had caused him more than enough headaches. It seemed innocent, laying there on his bed, seemingly unaware of the turmoil it was causing him. Greg knew better. It was taunting him, just like so many had done before it.  
  
What could this mysterious object be, you ask?  
  
A black T-shirt. Crew-neck, to be exact.  
  
He stood shirtless in front of his hospital bed, wearing nothing but a pair of slightly baggy jeans and fuzzy hospital slippers as he stared at the piece of black cloth. All the while, the cotton-polyester blend called out to him, a siren song of soft fabric that was almost audible to his eardrums enticing him to wear it.  
  
'Wear me, Greg. Wear me,' said the shirt.  
  
Turning away from the piece of clothing, he closed his his eyes and sighed. "I can't, Mr. Shirt. I just can't."  
  
'Why not, Greg? I'm so soft and comfortable and it's so cold in here. I bet your nips are freezing.'  
  
Greg shook his head at that. His nips weren't cold at all. They were rather toasty, actually, much like the rest of him. "I'm fine. My nips are fine. It's just not a good idea for me to put you on."  
  
'What? Why? You get some muscle tone and you're too good for me, is that it? Just gonna go around shirtless like some meathead bodybuilder only drinking protein shakes and raw eggs, huh? You're a hero now and you think you're too good for me?' ranted the shirt.  
  
Greg turned around and placed his hands on the bed, directly on top of the black cotton blend. "It's not you, Mr. Shirt. It's me. I'm not the same Greg I was a month ago. You're still the same. I'd tear you apart and we both don't want that to happen."  
  
'Come on, Greg. You can do it. Just put me on carefully,' pleaded the shirt.  
  
"I said no, Mr. Shirt! Why can't you understand that?"  
  
'I'm a shirt. People wear us. It's our lot in life. I accept it. Why can't you, Greg?'  
  
"But it's for your own safety, Mr. Shirt. I'd tear to pieces before I even put you on. Why can't you understand?" Greg responded, irritation obvious in his tone.  
  
'Cause I'm not real, Greg. I'm just a figment of your overactive imagination trying to find a way to think about the pros and cons of wearing a shirt without getting bored.'  
  
Greg blinked in surprise and blushed, realizing that he had actually been having a conversation with a shirt. "Oh, yeah. Thanks for reminding me, Mr. Shirt."  
  
The T-shirt didn't respond. It was a T-shirt, after all. Despite the impossibility of the shirt actually coming to life, Greg found himself actually hoping it would respond.  
  
He blinked again. "Wait...what the hell am I doing?"  
  
Rolling his eyes, he let a slow sigh escape him. "Note to self, stop talking to yourself. Things start getting weird."  
  
Looking down at the shirt once again, Greg shook his head slowly and wondered if he should actually try and put it on. He knew that it probably wouldn't be a good idea but he still wanted to try.  
  
Ever since he had gotten his powers, Greg had experienced some issues in regard to clothing. Essentially, most clothes were not durable enough for him to even put on without them tearing apart when he wasn't paying attention. Seeing as he had a habit of getting distracted and a tendency to get lost in his own head, not to mention daydreaming, more than a few of his clothes had ended up in the trash heap.  
  
"Man, where's Ev when you need him?" he grumbled to himself, gently lifting up the shirt. "He could just work his magic and I could wear this thing easy."  
  
After Greg had raised complaints about his habit of ruining clothes, Evron had done something to his remaining clothes; making them stronger, more durable. They weren't that tough and they wouldn't stop a knife but at least he'd be less likely to tear them to shreds by stretching or something.  
  
With all the speed of a snail that had recently discovered the joys of marijuana, Greg eased one arm into the shirt.  
  
'Come on....'  
  
After almost fifteen seconds, he had gotten one hand in the shirt completely without incident. Ten seconds after that, the other hand had entered the sleeve, leaving only his head free.  
  
It was slow going but it was working well enough.  
  
'Come on...'  
  
He patiently inched his head into the hole until he had finally brought it down on top of his ears. And therein lay the next issue.  
  
"Come on!"  
  
Greg tried to slide his head into the hole of the crew neck shirt but all the gentle nudging in the world wasn't going to let him fit through the crew neck hole and attempting to flatten his ears did nothing. His own ears tended to stick out and that didn't make this any easier at all.  
  
Nearly a minute later and he was still at it, still moving slow in order to avoid tearing the shirt.  
  
"Gaaaaaaahhhh!!!", screamed Greg, forcing himself not to flail his arms in frustration. "The fuck is this? Stupid shirt!"  
  
He could barely see anything with the shirt over his eyes and he was quickly getting tired of this. Greg had gotten his hands through the arm holes without much trouble and had managed to pull the shirt over his chest easily. The only thing giving him trouble was his head and, unfortunately, his rather prominent ears.  
  
Groaning, Greg tried to reverse the mess he had gotten himself into and remove the shirt without ruining it. He quickly found out that was easier said than done. "Uggghhh! Stupid shirt! Can't put it on! Can't take it off! GOD!"  
  
After struggling for a few more seconds, Greg let out a breath through his nostrils. "Fuck you, Mr. Shirt, " he said under his breath.  
  
Quickly stretching his arms out to the side, the shirt tore apart on his chest, fragments of black cloth falling to the ground.  
  
"What's wrong with a V-neck, huh? Does the fucking PRT not have V-necks?" he screamed to no-one, his breathing heavy from exasperation.  
  
"Actually, the PRT does have V-necks," came a voice from behind him.  
  
Greg sucked in a breath. 'That's a girl's voice...a girl is behind me. Okay...she probably saw you doing something weird...like talking to yourself. Just play it cool...'  
  
His arms folded over his bare chest, Greg whipped around to face his observer. "This is not what it l-...Shadow Stalker?"  
  
The dark heroine stood there, leaning on the door frame with a single shoulder while her crossbow hung off a sling on her shoulder. Her mask didn't betray her expression as it's face was set in a stoic frown but if he had to guess? By the tone of her voice, she was definitely at least a little amused.  
  
"If you're wondering, the PRT actually does have V-necks. As many meatheads that work here, they probably have a bunch," she replied in a drawl.  
  
'This is so embarrassing!' "Thanks for telling me, I guess."  
  
Shadow Stalker took a few steps into the room and leaned back on the wall before finally responding. "No problem, Superior."  
  
Greg responded with a weak chuckle. "Uh...you don't have to...I mean, you can...Just call me Greg."  
  
"Sure...Greg."  
  
"So...uh...you know...ok..."Greg fumbled, smiling awkwardly, "...heh...how much of that did you see...or hear?" 'Please say only the last part. Please!'  
  
Shadow Stalker cocked her head. "Enough," she answered vaguely.  
  
"Oooookay..." 'That tells me nothing at all. Was she here for the Mr. Shirt part?' Greg grimaced internally at the thought of her seeing that. Would she tell other heroes? 'Is Shadow Stalker even the gossipy type? Should I explain myself? Cause that'd be hard as hell to explain. I'm sorry, Shadow Stalker. I just like to have conversations with inanimate objects, you know. Nothing crazy there, just normal guy stuff.'  
  
Clearing his throat, Greg gave her a bigger smile. "Anything I can help you with, then? I was just about to leave. Gotta get home, you know."  
  
Shadow Stalker jerked upwards from the wall as she heard that, almost startling Greg with her sudden movement. "Wait, not yet!"  
  
Greg blinked at her outburst, confused as to what would. "Not yet?"  
  
Shadow Stalker nodded slowly, stepping a bit closer. "I mean...I just want to talk first. I saw the work you did today. Not bad for a rookie. You looked like you were having fun."  
  
Greg nodded along with her, his mind already thinking about the fight. "You know, thinking back on it...it was fun, yeah, but...I got my own ass kicked pretty badly too." Greg paused as he realized something. 'Now that I think about it, those dog-things might have actually taken a few chunks out of my ass.'  
  
"And..." Greg flexed his left hand, making a fist, "I lost an entire hand because I did something stupid."  
  
'Not to mention that I found out the Undersiders were a bunch of villains too,' he thought to himself, grimacing as he recalled how the group of capes he thought were pretty cool had tried to kill him as soon as he showed up in the bank. Because of them, he had to fight Glory Girl and while he kinda enjoyed that bit, probably a lot more than he should now that he thought about it, he knew that there would be consequences. Half of New Wave probably disliked him right now.  
  
"Yeah...the whole fight was pretty great but I'm gonna have to train a bit before I can do something like that again. I wasn't really at the top of my game during all that," Greg replied, his smile becoming a bit more confident. "At least you guys caught the Undersiders, though."  
  
"Who told you that?", Shadow Stalker scoffed. "That's not what happened at all."  
  
"What do you mean?" Greg replied, narrowing his eyes.  
  
Shadow Stalker shook her head. "What I mean is they didn't catch those fuckers. I can't tell you exactly what happened 'cause I wasn't there but I know that my team lost the fight. The Undersiders kicked their ass. Didn't even take them five minutes from what I heard."  
  
Greg clenched both his fists as the familiar heat began to build in his chest again. "So, they...escaped?", he said, more to himself than Shadow Stalker.  
  
Nodding, Shadow Stalker continued, speaking slowly. "Yeah, they escaped. It's fucking stupid that they couldn't stop them. I had no idea what the Wards were doing. How do you fuck up like that? I mean, I've had half of them on the defensive before by myself. Sucks that they tried to kill you, though. Then they get away with all the money. It's just...just...stu...."  
  
Greg nodded at Shadow Stalker's words, not even paying attention anymore. From the little flashes of memory he still had, he was able to piece together how the fight with the Undersiders had went and it hadn't been pretty. The Undersiders had beat him like he owed them money. Bitch, especially. They had cheated, of course, using some kind of Master power to keep him from moving while those dogs tore into him. After all that, they had managed to escape too. 'This makes no sense! I held them off on my own for a while and the entire Wards barely lasted five minutes!' The idea that the villains had terrorized everyone in that bank, tried to kill him and succeeded in escaping with the money sent his blood boiling.  
  
'Those fucking Undersiders! They're definitely gonna pay next time I see them. I mean...how could they...GOD DAMN IT! After everything I did, they still escaped! I'll fucking kill them! I... **I SAVED THEM FROM LUNG!** And they want to kill me!!! I'm gonna...I'm gonna rip them apart, **TEAR THEIR FUCKING HEADS OFF**!!!.........Okay, okay, okay, calm down. Not kill them. Just beat them up. You don't wanna be a villain, man.' Forcing himself to calm down, Greg took a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself down. The thought that the Undersiders had humiliated him and tried to kill him after he had fought off Lung for them did not sit well with him...at all.  
  
Glancing up at Shadow Stalker, he noticed that her eyes were wide behind her face mask and one twitching hand was gripped tightly around her crossbow. She seemed to be in a different place, much farther away from him than she was before."...You okay? Shadow Stalker?"  
  
She blinked a few times and glanced at him, her wide-eyed expression fading away slowly as she let go of her weapon. "Umm...yeah, I'm fine. Just a...headache," she said, her voice raspy.  
  
'What kinda headache makes you do that? Or maybe...Was that my fault? Did I do my thing?' Greg thought back to the incident that he had entered with Miss Militia, Assault and Battery. 'Cause I don't think I even got that angry, though. I hope I didn't scare her.' Greg paused in thought for a few moments before shrugging off the feeling. 'Nah, if it was me, she would have mentioned something. She's probably not feeling okay or something.' After a few seconds of thought, Greg spoke again, ignoring the way Shadow Stalker's eyes seemed to be darting around the room. "Okay...I guess. Anything else you want to talk about, Shadow Stalker?"  
  
  
\-----------------------------------------  
  
  
Shadow Stalker trembled as he spoke again, her entire body on high alert as she struggled to keep herself under control. She gasped and blinked as he stared at her, her paralytic fear slowly disappearing as those dangerous red eyes of his faded away to blue. 'What the hell was that? It felt like he was going to kill me! Couldn't even move!'  
  
Greg wasn't what she had expected.  
  
When she had walked in on him, he had been trying to put on a shirt and essentially taking forever to actually do it, behaving a little like a giant five year old with all his wriggling inside the black fabric. It had actually been pretty funny in a...stupid, little kid type of way so she simply leaned on the door and waited for him to finish. She didn't really understand why he was having so much trouble. The shirt didn't seem tight enough for him to be struggling with it but then again, she wasn't the one wearing it.  
  
After he had ripped the shirt to shreds and then yelled at those shreds, she had spoken up, trying to draw his attention. Greg had turned around to see her, moving so fast that he was literally a blur. From looks alone, she felt satisfied at first glance. He was ripped, that was for sure, and while she wasn't a huge fan of the whole E88 look, she couldn't deny that he was kinda cute. The Mohawk certainly didn't hurt.  
  
His arms were crossed over his bare chest and from the fact that he no longer had a stump, she surmised that Panacea had already paid him a visit. he stared back at her, doing his best to look like he wasn't caught unawares. Frankly, he didn't seem like the predator she had seen in the footage. His stance was lazy, his posture submissive, and from the look on his face, he looked more embarrassed than confident.  
  
Frankly, the way he was acting right now reminded her just a bit too much of Hebert and that thought brought her slight undercurrent of irritation to the forefront. 'What the hell is this? He's just the same weak piece of shit he was before. He's acting like fucking prey!' To make matters worse, it was almost as if Greg could sense her irritation as he seemed to shrink in on himself a little. She had almost lost interest at this point but then...  
  
"Anything I can help you with, then? I was just about to leave. Gotta get home, you know."  
  
Shadow Stalker jerked up from the wall. She couldn't let him leave yet. She wasn't done figuring him out yet. This weak, _Hebert,_ behavior wasn't the real him. What she had seen today...the way he had fought...even taking down Lung, no prey could ever do something like that. Just the thought of someone like Hebert doing anything like that was enough to make her laugh. Greg was a predator deep down inside and all she had to do was bring it out. 'But how?'  
  
"Wait, not yet!"  
  
He was confused at her insistence that he not leave yet but she wasn't done. She had to try something. Maybe...maybe if she made him remember what he did, he'd start acting right. She knew that there was a badass hiding underneath this nerdy moron. She just knew it!  
  
So, she tried to get him to remember the fights he had gotten into and it was working. His smile went from weak to confident, he stopped slouching and he was actually looking her in the eyes. She could actually believe that he wasn't a complete pussy now. Shadow Stalker wasn't done yet. There was a predator still hiding inside him. So, she kept talking, trying to get him to remember the fight.  
  
"...I lost an entire hand because I did something stupid." He grimaced as he said this, clenching his left hand.  
  
'So that's the hand he lost, huh? Seems like it's still kinda bothering him,' thought Shadow Stalker.  
  
"Yeah...the whole fight was pretty great but I'm gonna have to train a bit before I can do something like that again. I wasn't really at the top of my game during all that," Greg continued, smile getting even wider. "At least you guys caught the Undersiders, though."  
  
'He thinks they caught them?' Shadow Stalker smiled under her mask.  
  
"Who told you that?", she scoffed. "That's not what happened at all."  
  
"What do you mean?" Greg replied, his eyes narrowing. Shadow Stalker's smile only increased at the sight of it.  
  
Shadow Stalker shook her head. "What I mean is they didn't catch those fuckers. I can't tell you exactly what happened 'cause I wasn't there but I know that my team lost the fight. The Undersiders kicked their ass. Didn't even take them five minutes from what I heard."  
  
Greg clenched both his fists. "So, they...escaped?", he said under his breath, his jaw clenched tightly.  
  
Despite his lowered tone, Shadow Stalker heard him and continued, speaking slowly. "Yeah, they escaped. It's fucking stupid that they couldn't stop them. I had no idea what the Wards were doing. How do you fuck up like that? I mean, I've had half of them on the defensive before by myself. Sucks that they tried to kill you, though. Then they get away with all the money too. It's just...just...stu..."  
  
Shadow Stalker stumbled over her words as her body suddenly locked up, preventing her from finishing her sentence. As soon as the paralytic sensation appeared, it faded and she could move again, albeit with some difficulty. Her breath hitched as the entire room became unbearably hot, choking her in her thick, black costume. The air felt so thick that it might as well have been water and she was almost drowning in it, her lungs struggling for air. What was going on?  
  
She didn't understand what was happening to her. Was someone attacking the PRT? Were was the alarm? Why wasn't anyone doing something?  
  
She looked up at Greg, trying to get his attention, and gasped.  
  
Greg had vanished from the room.  
  
In his place was a monster out for her blood. The thing loomed above her and she shuddered as she caught sight of it's eyes. Glowing red pinpricks of light shone down on her and she couldn't help but gasp. It's muscles were obviously powerful, strong enough to rip her apart. It didn't speak but she could practically hear it's thoughts.  
  
**You are going to die.**  
  
She scrambled backwards until her back was against the wall, her eyes wide.  
**  
I am going to kill you.**  
  
She couldn't die here! Not like this!  
  
**You are weak.**  
  
She wasn't weak! She wasn't prey.  
**  
You can't stop me.**  
  
Shadow Stalker lifted her crossbow with one shaking hand, the other grasping at her side for her bolts. She raised one to her crossbow before she realized what she was about to do. She nearly screamed in frustration, dropping the bolt to the floor. What was she doing? This thing was a Brute! It could brush off bullets. What was her tranquilizer bolt going to do to it?  
**  
Nothing can stop me.**  
  
Blood drained from her face as the thing's eyes locked with hers and she clung to her crossbow as if it was a shield. She didn't want to die. She was strong! She was a predator! This couldn't be it! Shadow Stalker closed her eyes as the thing began to walk toward her, it's red eyes locked on her. 'Nononononononononononono...'  
  
"You okay? Shadow Stalker?"  
  
She opened her eyes, blinking in surprise. She could breathe again. 'What the hell?' In place of the monster, Greg stood in front of her, blue eyes focused on her and a confused expression plastered on his face. Her eyes darted around the room, looking for where the thing could have gone to. 'Where did it...' her eyes landed on Greg and they nearly bulged out of her head as she realized something. 'Greg?'  
  
Shadow Stalker nodded. There was no way she was going to look weak. "Umm...yeah, I'm fine. Just a...headache," she replied, her voice suddenly hoarse. Beads of sweat ran down her face underneath her mask, getting in her eyes and making her blink.  
  
He gave her an odd look and seemed to be thinking about something for a minute before shrugging. "Okay...I guess. Anything else you want to talk about, Shadow Stalker?"  
  
Shadow Stalker nodded slowly, still watching the blonde carefully. Piggot wanted him to get tested and she had to convince him. Now, how was she going to do that? She couldn't let him out of her sight or he might change into...that thing again. "Yeah, I wanted to see if you wanted to use our testing area."  
  
"Testing area?" Greg replied, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Yeah, the PRT likes to...uh...help new capes find out what they can really do, you know. How strong you are, how fast, how tough. Put numbers on shit like that."  
  
Greg stared at her for a few seconds, not breaking eye contact, his face completely blank. She really was not enjoying that. Her memories of what he had turned into were still fresh in her mind and the thought that he may try to kill her was terrifying enough. Now, the pictures of what he had done to Lung were popping up in her head.  
  
"Hmm...Okay."  
  
She blinked, somewhat confused as to what he was talking about. "Okay, you'll do it?"  
  
Greg nodded, smiling brightly. "Yepparoo, lead the way."  
  
Shadow Stalker blinked rapidly, exasperation bringing a frown to her face. 'Yepparoo?' The disconnect between the idiot on top and the...thing...hiding inside of Greg was too much. Which one was the real one? She had seen him angry. She felt like giving up immediately and just letting him kill her. She just couldn't reconcile her feelings of fear with this...this...moron. She didn't understand it at all. How could he have power like that and still be such a...a...wimp? Maybe he wasn't really this stupid. Maybe...maybe...  
  
Shadow Stalker felt a cold chill run down her spine as a thought popped into her head. She had seen what he had done to Lung. She had seen what he had done to Glory Girl. Maybe...he wasn't really stupid. She had seen the rage on his face in person twice now and ,for the first time, had felt that murderous sensation coming off him in waves, choking the life out of her. What if he was really like that and he was just playing around? It would be an easy way to make people underestimate him, making sure everyone dropped their guards around him.  
  
Shadow Stalker looked up at him, quickly making eye contact before turning away. "The...uh...testing lab is this way. Just follow me."  
  
Greg stepped forward before his eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, wait a sec."  
  
Shadow Stalker paused and watched as he walked back to the bed and picked up a black and white smartphone. "Okay, I'm good. Lead the way," he spoke again, flashing her another smile.  
  
Shadow Stalker turned around quickly and walked out of the room and into the long white hallway, Greg right by her side. She did her best to avoid contact with the blonde Brute. That experience had taught her a lesson that she wouldn't soon forget. Frankly, she just couldn't wrap her mind around it. 'Was all of that real?' she thought to herself. Glancing to her side, she noticed Greg looking at her and she flinched, once again glad that her mask covered her entire face.  
  
"Hey, Stalker. How strong do you think I am? Like, how much do you think I can lift?" he said, self-confidence almost oozing from him.  
  
She shrugged, unsure of what to say. "I dunno...a couple tons."  
  
Greg grinned and she got a closer look at his extremely white teeth. "Last I checked, it was five tons...but honestly?" he paused, raising his right arm and flexing it proudly. "I think I'm at least double that by now and I'm pretty sure I'm gonna get stronger too."  
  
Shadow Stalker flinched again. "T-ten tons, huh? That's a lot."  
  
Greg nodded, oblivious to her nervousness. "Yeah, It's like one of those semi-trucks. Eventually, when I get strong enough, I'm gonna clean up the whole city. Clear all the criminals out. And I'll make sure Brockton Bay is safe, like a real hero." He pumped a fist in the air proudly. "I'm not gonna let any villains get in my way either. Nothing's gonna stop me."  
  
Shadow Stalker let out a small gasp as a memory of an implacable monster rose to the front of her mind. **'Nothing can stop me.'**  
  
That clinched it. She was completely out of her depths with this guy. Coming down here, she had expected to be talking to a predator, someone she stood on equal ground with, someone who understood where she was coming from. Frankly, she would have been fine if he had just been a bigger predator than she was, something she wasn't used to but she could deal with that, at least. She just wanted someone like her. With this, though, she was unsure of what to think.  
  
She couldn't deal with Greg Veder. He was as far above her as she was above someone like Hebert.  
  
Shadow Stalker was a predator and she was damn proud of it, but Greg Veder?  
  
Greg Veder was a complete fucking monster and he scared the living shit out of her.  
  
And to make it even worse? She fucking loved it!


	36. Chapter 36

Complications 2.9

"Mr. Veder, are you ready to proceed with the resistance testing?," came a female voice over the speakers.

Frowning, Greg's barely-there eyebrows bunched up in irritation. "Yeah, sure. How's this thing supposed to work again?" Greg asked, raising his encumbered hands. His arms and feet were currently attached to several bulky manacles, all of which were connected to a rather large mechanism around him that was built out of the wall. Straps were also wrapped around his bare chest as well, for some reason, while a large treadmill track lay beneath his feet. It was all rather kinky if Greg actually thought about it, almost like some high-tech S&M dungeon. He didn't want to think about it too much though, because that lead to thoughts of Alexandria in a black leather corset and all he had on was a pair of briefs so....yeah.

When he had gotten to the large testing room, Shadow Stalker had approached a PRT agent and informed him that he was here for a "Classification Correction" or something. Then, several agents had lead him into the room and a couple of lab-coated dudes had confused him with a bunch of sciency-words and strapped him into this thing. Frankly, it had all happened pretty quickly and he could barely get a word in edgewise. He didn't even know where Shadow Stalker had dissapeared to.

"This stuff doesn't seem all that strong either." Greg didn't really understand how this was supposed to do anything. He could move just fine with it on and it didn't seem to be bothering him at all. "I mean, you sure this won't break?"

"I am completely certain, Mr. Veder," replied the voice with more than a hint of irritation. "This equipment was designed for Brutes far stronger than you. Regardless of how strong you may think you are, you will not break it," she finished, her German accent getting thicker into the final sentence.

Shrugging in acceptance, Greg settled back into the machinery, the devices whirring as he moved slightly backwards. "Okay, sure, I guess. Are we doing this now?" he asked, looking up at the glass enclosure where a group of about four scientists were observing him from.

"One moment, Mr. Veder," The voice intoned. A few seconds later, a woman stepped to the front of the window, holding some sort of tablet in her hands. Her auburn hair was pulled back in a neat bun and she was dressed in a buttoned up lab coat with green trim around the shoulders and a green turtleneck underneath. Her face was set in a blank expression, accentuating the dark bags under her red-rimmed eyes, making her look more intimidating than if she was frowning. "My name is Doctor Vahlen and as the Head of the Protectorate's Power Research Division, I will be in charge of your testing session for today. Do you have any questions before we begin?"

Greg raised an eyebrow in thought for a few seconds before nodding. "Yeah, how do these things work?"

Dr. Vahlen tilted her head as her expression became slightly less austere. "Ah, interested in the technology, Mr. Veder? Well, as it was made by a Tinker, I can not tell you exactly how it works but it essentially runs on roughly the same principle of a..."

"Actually, Dr. Vahlen," Greg interrupted, a sheepish expression on his face. "No offense, but I wasn't talking about the machine."

Greg continued speaking, oblivious to the icy glare Dr. Vahlen was shooting down on him. "I mean, not that it's not cool or anything. It's Tinker-stuff, so it's definitely cool, you know. What I meant...when I asked the question, how do these things work, I was talking about stuff like; how long is this going to take, why do I have to be in my underwear for this..."

Dr. Vahlen rubbed the bridge of her nose and let out a slow breath. "Well, those are all...valid que-" Dr. Vahlen cut herself off as Greg interrupted her once again, as he wasn't done speaking.

"...do you guys happen to have any shirts laying around? Preferably V-necks, that a Brute could wear without a wardrobe malfunction?"

"We don-"

"Also, are snacks gonna come into the equation at any point in time during this whole thing? Cause I'd love like a burger or wait...Egg salad! Do you guys have Egg salad? I'd love an Egg salad sandwich..."

"Gottverdammt, would you shu-"

"...cause you have no idea how hungry I am. Fighting really works up an appetite and I lost an arm too so I kinda need some comfort food really bad. Oh, and like, drinks too? What drinks do you guys have here? I like Jolt Cola or Pepsi Blue but I'll take a Mr. Pibb, if you have that. No Orbitz, though. I hate that crap," Greg finished, concluding his rambling and smiling up at the furiously frowning German woman.

The woman in question was gripping tightly to her tablet, tightly enough that Greg worried she would break it. Her breathing was heavy and ragged while left eye seemed to be twitching rapidly and she was muttering under her breath in another language, probably German. The other white-coats apparently took all that as a sign, slowly easing away from her.

Greg saw this, but he decided that it probably wasn't a big deal. Besides, he really wanted to know about the snack situation. "Uh, Dr. Vahlen, so is that a yes or-"

"Halt die Klapp, du ärgerlich kleine Göre! Was ist dein Problem?," screamed Dr. Vahlen over the speakers, apparently uncaring that her mic was still on. The other scientists groaned under the loud noise and a few covered their ears as the irate German continued to scream. Greg, his ears far more sensitive than theirs, wished he could do the same as the equipment he was currently strapped into limited his range of motion. "Hat deine Mutter dich auf den Kopf wie ein Kind fallen? Schließen Sie einfach die Fresse und lassen Sie mich meine Arbeit machen!"

As her screams settled down to a furious muttering, she was gently moved aside by two of the white coats and an older, balding Asian man with a pair of glasses perched on his nose stepped forward. Affixing a small black device to his coat, he pressed a button on it and began to speak. "Hello, Mr. Veder, my name is Dr. Raymond Shen. I'm the PRT's Chief Scientist and I'll be handling your testing while Dr. Vahlen...uh..., "the man looked over his shoulder to where the woman was making furious attempts to crush her tablet, "...relaxes. Regarding your questions; you'll be here no longer than an hour, you need to be mostly unclothed because certain sensors are attached to your bare skin, and we do not have any shirts or clothing in general designed to be worn by Brutes without...wardrobe malfunction, sorry. Well, none that we're at liberty to give out, at least."

Greg waved off his apology. "No problem."

"However, I know for a fact that there is both Mr. Pibb and plenty of Egg Salad in the cafeteria and it is delicious. I should know. I've had plenty of them," the old man continued with a smile, patting his prodigious belly. "I'll send someone to bring you some after the testing, if that's alright with you."

"That sounds great, Doctor."

Shen chuckled heartily. "Please, call me Raymond. With all the Doctors running around here, it can get a bit confusing."

"No problem, Raymond," Greg replied, still smiling. This scientist seemed much nicer than the other one. He actually smiled, for one. Dr. Vahlen seemed to be a good deal more high strung, for some reason.

"Okay, Mr. Veder, When the machine powers on, you will feel a slight tug. In order for us to get an accurate reading, I need you to continue moving forward."

Giving the scientist a thumbs up, Greg steadied himself for the machine.

"Five...Four...Three...Two...One...Begin."

The gentle whirring of the mechanism began to get progressively louder while a gentle humming grew under it. Greg began to move forward and the treadmill under his feet began to move with him, keeping him mostly stationary. 'This is easy,' Greg thought to himself, 'Not too bad, at...huh.' Greg paused his thought as a slight sudden pull of pressure on his muscles forced him to increase the force his muscles were exerting. 'I guess that was the tug Raymond was talking about, then.'

"Okay, Mr. Veder, the machine will now start to increase the level of resistance. You should feel a light tug any moment now," Shen said over the speakers, his voice barely audible over the loud hum of the mechanisms below.

Greg blinked. "Wait, whaAAAAAAGHHH-" Greg was unable to finish his sentence as a sudden, sharp pull from the machine nearly sent him sprawling, and causing him to lose his balance. As he scrambled to steady himself, he began to push himself forward, ignoring the increased weight. 'Fuck that, a light tug? Who the fuck designed this thing?'

Shaking his head, he just kept moving. "Whatever."

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------

 

"Incredible," remarked Dr. Shen, as he monitored the boy's vitals on the screen in front of him. "Over fifteen minutes of exertion and nothing to show for it."

"What is it, Raymond?"

Dr. Shen turned his gaze to the group behind him, unable to be seen from the testing area below. Miss Militia, Clockblocker, Shadow Stalker, Vista and Aegis stood behind him, watching the footage of Greg's testing. Well, some of them sat. And technically, Aegis was floating. Regardless of their physical positions, all of them were paying attention.

Raymond smiled at the group, before focusing his gaze on Miss Militia. Idly, he noticed that she had a rather large weapon at her side, some form of rocket launcher, perhaps? Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, he prepared to answer her question. "He's currently moving forward despite being burdened with 2 tons of resistance."

Aegis floated forward, glancing at the screen that Dr. Shen had been focused on. "I don't see what's so incredible about that. I did the same when I used the machine."

Nodding, Director Shen gestured towards the screen, drawing Aegis' attention to a silhouette of the human body. The silhouette was filled in with blue and had several circles located around multiple areas of the body; primarily the head, heart, and joints. "The similarities between the two of you don't end there. He hasn't shown any sign that he's actually exerting himself. While yours seemed geared to survive at all costs, his body seems to be able to operate at optimum condition regardless of exhaustion. He could literally keep this up all day, similar to what you did when we tested you. In fact..."

Dr. Shen paused and pressed a button on the microphone he had clipped to his lapel, turning on the PA. "Mr. Veder, are you feeling any discomfort right now?"

"No, I'm good!"

"That's excellent. Now, I'm going to increase the amount of resistance. Is that alright with you?"

"Go ahead!"

Turning the mic off, Dr. Shen turned to his left where several more white-coats were taking detailed notes and discussing various matters in hushed tones. Pointing to a blonde male, a hispanic woman and an asian female with dyed blue hair, he gave them a set of orders. "Ducky, raise the resistance to six tons. Nova, activate the scanner. Lily, prepare the hydraulic press." As the three lab techs broke off from the larger group to do as the good doctor asked, he turned back to the gathered heroes. "Now, we see what he can really do."

With a call of "Six Tons, Dr. Shen!" from the lab tech known as Ducky, he nodded at the young man and turned on his mic once again. "Okay, Mr. Veder, you'll notice a slight increase in weight."

"Got ya, Raymond!" was the loud response from below.

"Slight?" asked Vista, her lips pursed in a confused expression. "How is six tons slight? Didn't you just triple the weight?"

Raymond chuckled, raising a hand to steady his glasses on the bridge of his nose. "Well, I say slight because I want to get a good feel for his limits. If I tell him exactly how much weight he's pulling, he might not give it his all for whatever reason. It's all for the purpose of collecting accurate data." The screen let out a slight beeping as if to underscore his point, drawing his attention to it. "Still, not even a trace of sweat on his skin, not much of an increase in blood flow or heart rate. He's not even breathing heavy!"

"I can see what you mean, Dr. Shen," Aegis spoke up, "I don't think I could even move six tons."

Clockblocker walked up and stretched an arm upwards to pat Aegis on the back. "Ah, don't worry about it, boss. You'll always be the best Brute in my book."

Even though his face was hidden, the warmth in Aegis' voice was audible in his tone. "Thanks, Clock."

However, Clockblocker wasn't done. "I mean, come on, we're all squishy people here. What'd we do without a team Meatshield? "

Even though his face was hidden, the iciness in Aegis' voice was audible in his tone. "Thanks, Clock."

"You're welcome, buddy," Clockblocker replied. "So, Ray, what's up with...eh...Blond Skrillex?" Clockblocker paused for a moment as if in thought. "Why not? What's up with Blond Skrillex down there? He doesn't even look tired yet."

Dr. Shen glanced at Greg's vitals, apparently gleaning some meaning from the rapidly changing stream of words and numbers. "You're right, Clockblocker." Taking a moment to turn on the mic once again, the doctor spoke. "Mr. Veder, we're set to increase the resistance. Do you think you could handle a little more weight?"

"Sure, Raymond. Ramp this baby up! This is so light, you can even double it!"

Turning off his mic, Ray turned to his lab tech on the far wall of the Observation Center. "Isn't he an eager lad? Let's do him one better. Ducky, three times the weight!"

"WAIT!"

Everyone in the room turned to glance at Clockblocker as he screamed for no apparent reason. The young cape had his arms up in the air and as he realized that all eyes were on him, he brought his hands down and steepled them on his chest. "Why stop at three? You heard the rookie! Ramp that sucker up! Give him five times the weight! He can take it! He's a dragon sl-OW! What was that for?" exclaimed Clockblocker, turning to face Vista as he rubbed his shoulder.

The girl in question was glaring at her teammate from behind her visor from several feet away, scowling at his antics. After getting beat up and generally being subjected to swarms of insects, blinding darkness, tentacles and a pack of giant killer dogs, Vista was not in the happy-go lucky frame of mind that usually came naturally to her. "Stop being stupid and let the scientists do their jobs, dummy! We're in the middle of something serious and you're being all....oh "

The small girl paused her tirade as Miss Militia laid a hand firmly on her shoulder. "Vista, that is not how we speak to our teammates."

Vista sighed, letting out a small breath of air and almost sinking into her chair. "Understood, ma'am."

"I know that today had been rather stressful for you but you have to understand that regardless of how we may feel about certain actions they may take, we should have more respect for each other and ourselves by...Did you have something to add, Shadow Stalker?" Miss Militia's voice became much sharper as she addressed the dark huntress, who had chosen to scoff while she spoke to Vista. At her side, the RPG morphed into something that was clearly a taser.

Shadow Stalker didn't bother to respond, simply shaking her head as she kept her eyes firmly locked on Greg below.

Her eyes narrowing at the former vigilante, she turned back to face the subject of Vista's ire. "And Clockblocker, there is a time and a place for your jokes. Right now, in this facility, is not that time. Anything else like that and I will personally see to it that you will be placed on monitor duty for two weeks. Do you understand me?"

Clockblocker slumped his shoulders, the reprimand taking the wind out of his sails."Yes, ma'am."

"Actually," interjected Dr. Shen with a slight chuckle, "I believe Clockblocker is right in this case."

"He is?" questioned Vista and Aegis simultaneously.

"...I am?" replied Clockblocker, somewhat confused. "Really, Dr? Cause it was kinda just a joke. Like, I was just kinda riffing of you. I don't want to mess with your testing or anything."

Unlike Aegis and Vista, Miss Militia was able to contain her surprise at the doctor's words, simply raising an eyebrow at his statement. "He is?"

The old man's eyes seemed to twinkle with a hint of mischief that belonged to someone at least a third of his age. "He is. I seem to have let it slip my mind that this young man fought the marvelous specimen of parahuman ability we know as Lung. In close quarters combat, no less. Someone strong enough to damage a parahuman with that level of durability should be able to handle at least...." the doctor trailed off as he began to mumble under his breath, doing rapid mental calculations. "Ducky!"

The lab assistant stood at attention. "Yes, Doctor Shen!"

"Ten times the resistance!"

The blonde lab technician blinked, spluttering rapidly. "T-t-ten times? Y-yes, Doctor."

Shen walked closer to the glass, a slight smile on his face. That smile quickly dropped away as Greg stopped his forward movement, grunting and groaning as he was unable to move his hands and feet inside the manacles that enclosed them.

Aegis floated forward, as close to the glass as Shen was. "At least now we know what his limit is," he said, a sense of relief in his tone.

"No, we don't," Shadow Stalker replied softly. Vista and Miss Militia both gave her a questioning glance but she ignored them, walking up to the glass next to Aegis.

Clockblocker followed her lead, standing next to his black-clad teammate with his hands clasped behind his back. "So why are we all just standing at the window like this? Like, is there a reason...or just because?"

No one answered him.

Dr. Shen frowned, shaking his head in confusion as he watched Greg straining to move. "I would have thought he was capable of so much more..." Pressing the mic, he spoke up. "Mr. Veder, it appears that we've found your limit. I had assumed you were much stronger than this but it appears I was mistaken. Are you ready to move on the next test?"

"No...way...I...got...THIS!" Greg grunted. With a pulse of golden light, an aura settled around him and he began to run smoothly on the machine, moving even faster than he was before. "Come on, is this all you got?"

"Told you," Shadow Stalker replied smugly, folding her arms over her chest.

Vista pursed her lips at Shadow Stalker's words and brushed a stray lock of her wild hair away from her visor, eyes following the blonde's energetic movements. "He's so...uncontrolled."

"Of course he is!" laughed Clockblocker. "Mohawk, no eyebrows? Isn't it obvious? Superior's into metal!"

Aegis sighed, used to Clockblocker's inane comments. "Yeah, sure, Clock."

The tablet in Shen's hands beeped a few times and Dr. Shen looked to see the same silhouette he had been studying before. Several circles around the silhouette body had turned a light pink, alerting him that something of importance was occurring.

"Come on, I could do this all day!" came Greg's gleeful shout.

"Not exactly, Mr. Veder, not exactly," intoned Raymond Shen, his voice much more somber and reserved than it had been before. "Regardless," Dr. Shen's smile returned in full force and he glanced at his lab assistant once again. "Ducky...double the resistance."


	37. Complications 2.9B

> Velocity walked next to Dauntless and Assault, fingers twitching and shifting rapidly over a rather worn out Rubik's cube, wondering exactly why Piggot sent them down to the Testing Center. No, that wasn't true. He knew exactly why she was calling them, to see that kid, the one that had almost turned Lung into a vegetable. He just didn't understand why she had to call **them** down. Why not Triumph or Battery, as well? The two of them weren't even busy. Frankly, he had been in the weight room trying to bulk up a little bit, in the hope that it would augment the little physical power he had when he ran. He didn't have time to waste on watching some new hotshot show off.  
>   
>  Assault and Dauntless were a different story as they seemed pumped to head down there. Then again, that did seem to be their normal state of mind.  
>   
> "Eh, so what'd you guys think about the kid?" Assault questioned, his tone nonchalant.  
>   
> "He seems okay," replied Dauntless with a shrug. "I mean, he's a little bit...off, but then again, what cape isn't?"  
>   
> Assault snorted. "Yeah, a little bit off is kind of an understatement. I mean, did you see the way he fought Glory Girl? Kid was laughing his ass off while getting his face smashed in."  
>   
> Chuckling, Dauntless clapped Assault on the back, his powerful hands causing the less muscular hero to stumble a bit. "And that haircut? I know Lung burned him but he could at least shave it off and start clean."  
>   
> "You sure about that? What are people gonna say when the newest blonde and blue eyed cape shaves his head? Huh?" Assault joked.  
>   
> "Seriously, Ethan? I'm pretty sure that ship sailed when he named himself Superior," replied Dauntless, still chuckling. "Besides, you never know, the E88 might follow his lead. Change their ways, you know."  
>   
> Assault let out a loud cackle, his mouth open in a wide grin. "Are you kidding me, Cal? Kaiser and Hookwolf turning the E88 into heroes? What would they even call themselves? The Brockton Nazi Brigade? Kaiser'll probably have to change his name, though. How's...Ubermensch sound? Too on the nose?"  
>   
> Dauntless laughed again, a deep sound that matched his large frame. "I prefer Tin Tyrant myself."  
>   
> Underneath his mask, Robin could not help but frown as Ethan and Calvin joked around. As a member of the Protectorate East North East, he had come to understand that there were two hierarchies among the heroes. One of them was official, imposed by Piggot and had Armsmaster at the head; followed by Miss Militia with Triumph, the most recent member of the Protectorate, at the very bottom.  
>   
> The other was unspoken, one of those stupid 'unofficial' rules that people take semi-seriously. Regardless of how 'unofficial' it was, everyone in the Protectorate knew it and respected it, to a certain degree. Hell, even some civilians knew it. The second hierarchy, based purely on how powerful you were, had Dauntless, the rising star of the Protectorate, at the very top, followed by Assault, then Armsmaster, Miss Militia, Triumph, Battery, and lastly, himself. Velocity had been excited when Dauntless had appeared and he had borne the hope that he wouldn't be at the bottom of the totem pole anymore. That hope had dissapeared quickly once he found out the specifics of Dauntless' power. It was a known fact that Dauntless was headed for the same tier as the Triumvirate and all that was holding him back was time. Eventually, Dauntless would be an unstoppable combination of Alexandria and Eidolon, replacing Hero in the eyes of the people. It was no wonder Armsmaster couldn't stand him.  
>   
> "Purity as a hero? Man, Cal, you're ridiculous!" Assault burst out, clutching his stomach as he laughed.  
>   
> Robin turned his attention to Assault, the next highest on the ladder. Ethan had been a member of the Protectorate for years now, ever since Battery captured him in New York when he was still running around as the villain known as Madcap. Frankly, the experience had been seared into his memory, mostly because of how ridiculously funny it had been. Battery had walked into the PRT with Madcap in tow, containment foam still keeping him trapped. As soon as he had been de-foamed, he turned to face Director Wilkins and before she could say anything, spouting off his secret identity, social security and for some reason, his measurements, before the woman could even get a word out. He had then followed it up by winking at the Director and asking if he had any job openings for a 'handsome, sexy villain looking to change his ways'. The look on Wilkins's face had been worth the chewing out he had gotten for laughing.  
>   
> Battery had been overjoyed that she had finally caught Madcap that she hadn't even thought about how oddly easy the fight had been. First of all, Ethan was a Striker 7, with all that entailed. He had fought off an entire team of heroes backed up by multiple PRT squads several times before Battery had ever even appeared on the cape scene. He had more power, more experience and frankly more skill than Battery ever possibly had. Footage of his fights as Madcap were available and as required by the Protectorate, he had watched them several times to familiarize himself with how he fought. As Madcap, he fought like his name implied. Debris, weaponry and any available item would strike you with incredible force, appearing in front of you every time you blinked, while he would be jumping around the battlefield like a rabbit, using his powers to give himself a Mover rating. Anyone fighting him at close range would find their clothes or armor going wild, propelling them away from him and sending them flying. A ranged cape or PRT agent aiming at him would find something striking a joint, sending their shots wide and if he felt vindictive or particularly malicious, breaking a limb. Cars, trash cans or dumpsters became lethal projectiles from the slightest touch. Rumor had it that he had even caught bullets in his palm with his telekinesis. Frankly, the PRT was just glad that he was more a mercenary specializing in breakouts than anything else.  
>   
> To make matters short, Madcap had been hell on the PRT, winning fights against several parahumans with ease. That changed shortly after Battery had started gunning for him. Madcap slowly became less malicious, occasionally going out of his way to avoid hurting capes in his fights. That was only when Battery was on the scene, though. On the rare occasions that the Breaker didn't make an appearance, Madcap was as quick and dirty as he had been in the past. The final fight with Battery had almost been a parody of a fight, at least on Ethan's part.  
>   
> Himself and Battery had actually been on patrol with Legend back in New York when they stumbled upon Madcap simply standing in the middle of an alley, in full costume, as if he was waiting for someone. As odd as that had been, Battery didn't even think twice before rushing in. He had hung back, trying to avoid Madcap's barrage of debris and small weaponry against him while Legend provided suppression fire to assist Battery, when he noticed something especially odd. The instant Madcap spotted enemy capes, they would immediately be bombarded by dozens of high-speed marbles or whatever else he carried on his person, effectively pinning them down, while the dust at his feet would fly into their eyes, blinding them if they didn't have a visor or full face mask. While he was effectively kept away from the fight, and Legend was rather high in the air, Battery had none of that aimed at her at all. In fact, she was fighting him in close quarters...and winning. Madcap was virtually unstoppable at hand to hand and nearly untouchable with his powers but oddly, not during that fight.  
>   
> With time slowed down for him, Velocity could see the hesitance in Madcap's movement, his punches pulled and his movements purposely made more predictable. The fight ended in minutes, resulting with Ethan in handcuffs and containment foam while Battery had a victorious smile on her face as Legend praised her. From his eyes alone, though, Velocity could tell that Madcap was not at all angry about being captured. As Assault, Ethan couldn't afford to be as dangerous as Madcap had been but that mocking smirk reminded Velocity that underneath the hero, Madcap was still there, and he would be just as dangerous as he always had been. It eventually took a transfer to Brockton Bay before he and Ethan started to become actual friends. When Velocity had asked Ethan why he let Battery catch him, Ethan had laughed, remarking that 'I was having an off day, you know'. The smug smile he said it with had implied otherwise, however.  
>   
> Frankly, Dauntless and Assault were probably the strongest members of the Protectorate as they were. As Velocity, he was fast, sure, but that was it. Fast was all he was. The faster he went, the weaker he got until a punch from him at top speed felt like a child's palm slapping you in the face. He couldn't even carry items on his person once he got past a certain speed. At best, he was a scout. At worst, he was barely even a distraction. His powers were pathetic and every one else knew it. 'A fucking one trick pony.'  
>   
> Sometimes, he felt more than a bit resentful of his friends for outshining him so easily that they didn't even realize that they were doing it. He had worked hard to gain what little respect he had and he was being pushed to the side without a second thought. I mean, never did he ever think that he would actually be able to empathize with Armsmaster, of all people. Sometimes, he felt that it would just be easier to-  
>   
> "Yo, Rob!"  
>   
> "Wha?" Velocity jerked backwards, surprised as Assault stopped directly in front of him.  
>   
> "We're here already. You've just been staring into space," Dauntless told him, arms folded on his chest. Velocity glanced past him, noticing the large blast doors and the two burly PRT agents standing guard in full body armor.  
>   
> "I-I guess I was thinking about something else," Velocity replied.  
>   
> Assault's smirk seemed to perk up a bit, stopping just short of becoming a full grin. "You think, bud? You've solved, unsolved and solved that thing again," he remarked, gesturing at Velocity's hands.  
>   
> Glancing down at his palms, Velocity realized that Assault was right, a solved Rubiks cube sitting on his palm.  
>   
> Dauntless gave him a concerned look, irritating Velocity a bit. A small whisper in the back of his mind told him that it looked a bit too much like pity on his friend's face. "Rob, you okay, buddy? You've been really quiet, man."  
>   
> Velocity sighed and kept on walking. "I'm fine. Let's just see the kid test and get out of here." Facing the guards, he gestured at the door. "Well, are you going to open the damn thing or do I have to do it myself?" Velocity asked brusquely, pulling out his Protectorate keycard.  
>   
> The guard's faces couldn't be seen behind their black full-face visors but they visibly bristled under Assault's harsh tone. For a moment, neither did anything until one of them turned to his side and slid a key card into the wall next to him. A second later, the door slid open, allowing the three men to enter the room.  
>   
> The Observation room was the same as it always was; bright white walls, floor to ceiling observation window, and various desks, screens and control panels all over the place. The only difference was how unusually crowded the room seemed to be with several lab techs running around, including the most experienced; Charles "Ducky" Mallard, Maria "Nova" Villanueva, and Lillian "Lily" Shen, hard at work manning several control panels.  
>   
> Almost immediately, the three capes caught sight of Dr. Shen, one of the more jovial members of the PRT Research Department, surrounded by Miss Militia and most of the Wards. The second they entered, Dr. Shen looked up and flashed the three of them a big smile while Miss Militia simply nodded at them.  
>   
> "What up, Doc?" Assault spoke up, raising one hand in greeting.  
>   
> "Ah, hello, Assault. How are you today?" replied the Doctor with a bright smile.  
>   
> "Just fine, Ray."  
>   
> Shen turned to Dauntless, still smiling. "Dauntless, how is your 'Arc Spear' coming along? Any further progress?"  
>   
> Dauntless sighed and shook his head. "Actually, Dr, I've been using another spear for most of my fights. My first one is a bit too lethal for anyone that's not a tough Brute. I've been using the one I have with me right now for about a month," Dauntless said, gesturing to the weapon on his back, " and it's got some small Breaker and Striker skills already. I know it's not much but I gotta work with what I got for now, you know. It's my fault for not paying attention to how many charges I put into it."  
>   
> Velocity grimaced as he heard Dauntless humblebrag, hand tightening around the cube. He knew Calvin didn't even realize what he was doing, the burly cape so used to his overpowered abilities, but it still irked him to no end. Dauntless didn't have to do much at all to improve, simply waiting a day to dump energy into an object. Every single time Velocity saw Dauntless, the cape was visibly more powerful and it physically pained him to see Dauntless having it so easy.  
>   
> "Ah, good, good, at least you're improving," Shen nodded, before finally turning to Velocity. "So, Velocity, how are you? Any new developments?"  
>   
> "No Dr. Shen, just the same," Velocity replied, tone somewhat bitter.  
>   
> For a moment, Assault's smile dimmed as he glanced at Velocity, worrying the speedster that his friend might be aware of his true feelings. Fortunately, Assault turned away from his teammate and looked around the room before glancing back at Shen. "Hey, doc, Is Vahlen around?"  
>   
> "Yeah, she's around. Probably around here screaming at something in German," Clockblocker snorted as he tried to hold back a chuckle, receiving a glare from Miss Militia that made him stop immediately.  
>   
> Aegis shook his head. "Dr. Vahlen went somewhere. I don't know where exactly, though."  
>   
> "Ah, well, Herr Doktor," began Shen, mimicking the woman's form of adress, "is relaxing right now. She had a bit of an outburst with our new friend down there. He apparently pushes a lot of the same buttons that Clockblocker does."  
>   
> Dauntless blinked in surprise. "Really?"  
>   
> Shen nodded slowly. "I wouldn't hold it against her, though, She's been rather busy trying to understand what happened to Lung and exactly what his new abilities are that I doubt she's slept since Monday. I know for a fact that she hasn't left the PRT building at all. I don't understand how she believes she will function like that but," he paused, letting out a sigh, "you know Vahlen."  
>   
> "Yeah, I do know Vahlen," Assault replied, grimacing. "That woman loves to test until you feel more like a lab rat than anything else."  
>   
> Shen raised an eyebrow at Assault's remark but nodded, regardless. "I suppose she does have a tendency to rub some people the wrong way. It's just her strong personality. I assure you she's much more personable when she's not at work."  
>   
> Aegis tilted his head slightly. " But, Dr. Shen, isn't she always...at work? It's like she never leaves."  
>   
> Shen nodded again, a bit more hesitantly. "Ah, well, yes...let's get back to our young cape, shall we?"  
>   
> The doctor walked back over to the window where the rest of the capes were still standing and the three men followed behind him. The second they reached the window, the capes stared as they saw the boy running on a rather large treadmill below.  
>   
> His body shining with a golden light, Superior ran incredibly fast on the track below. Despite the fact that his arms and legs were moving rapidly enough that they were literally blurs, he didn't seem in the least tired. His mouth was spread open in a wide grin, showing his intense glee at simply being able to run.  
>   
> "Man, look at him go! That kid can move, can't he, Doc? I mean, how fast is he going?" Assault said, laughing at the sight.  
>   
> Dr. Shen gestured to the screen in front of him displaying a number in the triple digits. "The boy's top speed seems to top off here with some slight fluctuation up or down. Incredible, isn't he?" spoke Shen, his voice seeming to carry despite it's low tone. "As a Brute, his body enables him to keep this sort of speed without requiring any sort of Breaker abilities. Simply incredible."  
>   
> Assault let out a low whistle, somewhat impressed by the boy's power. "So, what do you think, Velocity?", Assault asked his friend. "Velocity?"  
>   
> When no response came, Assault turned around only to see Velocity on the other side of the room, entering his keycard into the door. "Where are you going, man?" called out Assault, hurriedly running out the open door to catch up to Velocity. Dauntless followed right behind him and the door slowly shut behind them, while Aegis, Clockblocker and Miss Militia looked on in confusion. Shadow Stalker, Vista and Dr. Shen were too busy observing to really notice or care.  
>   
> Velocity turned around to glance at Assault, his fists clenched tightly. "I've got stuff to do. I don't have time to watch some kid test."  
>   
> "What's wrong, man? You've been acting all weird," Assault asked.  
>   
> "I'm fine. There's nothing wrong with me. Just drop it," Velocity replied, tone clipped.  
>   
> "Look, man, you can talk to us. Just tell us what it is. We've got your back, man. We're here for you," Dauntless replied, tone soft and almost pleading.  
>   
> Velocity stepped back, his muscles tensed as he stared at Dauntless from behind his visor. Moments passed where neither of them said a thing, but Velocity finally spoke. "You know I hate it when you talk to me like that, right? I'm not one of your at-risk kids, Cal. Don't give me any of your counselor bullshit. I don't need your help and I definitely don't need your pity!" With that final outburst, Velocity activated his powers and sped away, his body little more than a blur.  
>   
> Assault tilted his head to look at Dauntless, his familiar smirk gone from his face. "What the hell was that about?"  
>   
> Dauntless shrugged. "I don't know. We should give him some space, though. I'm pretty sure he's not in a good place right now. He needs some time alone. If we keep trying to push him, he'll avoid us even more."  
>   
> "I guess you're right," Assault replied, taking a swig from a red and black soda can.  
>   
> Dauntless cocked his head, staring at Assault as he drank from the can. "Is that a Jolt Cola?"  
>   
> At Assault's nod, Dauntless asked another question. "Have you had that this whole time?"  
>   
> Assault shook his head. "No, I just snatched it up in the room. There's like a whole table full of them back there with some Mr. Pibb and Pepsi Blue. I'm pretty sure they're for us. I saw Aegis drinking a whole lot of them," Assault said, pointing down the hallway to the Observation room.  
>   
> Dauntless gave one last look at the long hallway Velocity had vanished downwards before sighing and turning back towards the O.R. "Let's go get some more, then."  
>   
> As they walked back to the Observation room, Assault glanced at Dauntless. "Hey, you like egg salad, right?"  
>   
> "Who doesn't?"  
>   
> "Well, you're in for a treat."  
>   
>   
> ================================================  
>   
>   
> Greg stared at the large machine, wondering why anyone would build anything that looked like half a yo-yo.  
>   
> "So, what am I doing here, Raymond?" he called out.  
>   
> "This device will measure your lifting strength, as opposed to the previous one, which measured your resistance against forces. Just put your palms flat on that surface and hold it for as long as you possibly can," spoke Shen over the loudspeaker, "Just tell me when the weight begins to get too much for you to handle."  
>   
> Greg felt an instinctual flare of indignation rise up in him at what he thought was a dig at his strength. However, it quickly tapered away when he realized Shen was only telling him that as a safety precaution. He didn't fully understand why, but the idea that someone was underestimating his abilities pissed him off more than a bit. "Understood."  
>   
> "As soon as you put your palms on it, one of my lab technicians will turn on the machine. It is very important that you keep your palms on the machine until the test is over. Do you understand?"  
>   
> "Yeah, I got it." Greg walked up the steps to the machine, fully aware that he was being watched by at least a dozen scientists and half the heroes in the Protectorate. All of them watching him, and he was in nothing more than a pair of boxers. If he wasn't aware of everything that was happening, he would be worried that he was in the middle of his worst nightmare. He didn't mind as much as he thought he would have, though. He wasn't completely sure but something about having a body that you were proud of made you a lot less embarrassed in a situation like this. Still, there was nothing comfortable about your physical appearance being scrutinized by a thirteen year old girl and a grown woman the same age as his mom.  
>   
> Greg stood in place and placed his palms upward on the very bottom of the device. As he got into position, he had the fleeting thought that he was like Atlas, holding up the sky. He was pulled out of his thoughts as his stomach rumbled loudly, the sound reminding him that he barely even ate breakfast. 'Not the time to think about Greek myths. Let's just get this over with.'  
>   
> "All right, Mr. Veder, we're going to begin. In 5...4...3...2...1...Begin."  
>   
> At Dr. Shen's signal, the machine began to emit a low hum and he Greg felt no discernible pressure on his palms. As time began to pass, that quickly began to change. After what felt like ten minutes but what was most likely one, his arms began to shake slightly, pressure beginning to weigh him down. He ignored it at first, continuing to push upwards. By the second minute, his legs were openly shaking and he was struggling to hold the continually growing weight above his head.  
>   
> He pushed upwards, his muscles beginning to burn as he struggled to lift the device. 'Come on...you can do it. You can do it. Show them that you can do it!' Greg grit his teeth, forcing himself to push against the weight. 'I'm. NOT. WEAK. I'm not weak. Not weak...not weak...NOT! WEAK!'  
>   
> Almost unbidden, he felt the familiar stimulating rush of Zirin spark up in his chest and bright golden light suffused his skin once again. All of a sudden, the crushing weight had vanished and he stood straight up, hands held high above his head. Almost completely naked, except for his briefs, he grinned up at the faces below watching him. "Yeah..."  
>   
>   
> ======================================================  
>   
>   
> Dr. Shen watched on in fascination as Greg nearly ate an egg salad sandwich in one bite, the Observation room vacant except for himself and Greg. Everyone had left at Shen's request because the good doctor wished to speak to Greg alone. As promised, the testing had not taken much longer than an hour. All in all, they had completed eight rounds of testing and they would have completed the ninth if Greg had actually been able to use his Master power on command. After a battery of tests, including; two durability tests, a Striker test, a Blaster test and a non-invasive full-body scan, Shen had decided to let the boy stop. Apart from some slight performance anxiety in two different cases as well as several broken needles, the testing had gone rather well. As soon as it ended, Greg had immediately pounced on the table of food they had laid out for him. He nearly forgot to put on his jeans in the rush to sate his hunger.  
>   
> Oddly, half the sandwiches seemed to be missing and more than a few sodas had vanished. Frankly, Shen blamed either Dauntless or Aegis. Dauntless had an appetites fit for at least three men and Aegis could eat nearly twice that of Dauntless. Shen shook his head as he watched Greg eat, adjusting his glasses slightly. Now was not the time to dwell on the appetites of other capes. Despite what he had told Greg, they were not quite done with his testing. He still had a few questions that could only be answered directly by Greg himself.  
>   
> "Thanks for the food, Dr. Shen," Greg said with a gasp, finally coming up for air, "All that testing made me really hungry."  
>   
> Shen gave the boy a slight smile, more out of amusement than any goodwill he may have had towards him. Simply watching the boy shovel food down his throat was like being front row for a circus act, even the slight nausea such a sight caused was all the more enjoyable for it. "It was no problem, Mr. Veder. I have to ask though, did you eat breakfast today or...lunch for that matter?" he added as an afterthought, watching Greg literally push a sandwich into his mouth. He didn't give a damn about the boy's eating habits, for the most part. While they would give him some data, this was a simple test question to gauge the boy's honesty. He needed to see Greg's body language.  
>   
> Greg nodded his head, his mouth too full to give a coherent answer.  
>   
> "So, what did you eat?"  
>   
> Greg paused for a moment, grabbing hold of a blue can of soda and gulping it down. Shen waited for him to finish and was more than glad to see that Greg had the decency to not burp out loud. "Uh, I made some waffles, some donuts and french toast sticks. I only got to finish like half of them, though. But I finished all the sausages I made...and orange juice. Drank some O.J, too. Skipped lunch, though." His eyes suddenly brightened as if remembering something. "Oh, and a chocolate sandwich too. I had like two of those."  
>   
> 'Right handed. Eyes up and to the right...remembering what he made. Truth.' "A chocolate sandwich?"  
>   
> Greg nodded. "Yeah, it's like this...You take some bread or a breakfast biscuit or two waffles, really...and then you put a bunch of chocolate syrup on the inside with like, a slice of ham and a sausage or two. Or no ham, if you want."  
>   
> Dr. Shen stared at the boy in front of him for a moment as he finished describing what sounded like a rather disgusting concoction. "...Okay." He took a moment to enter that into his tablet. Despite the fact that he didn't really care, it was still useful data on his eating habits and caloric intake. "Now, when you say some, how many did you eat, exactly?"  
>   
> "Mmm...I dunno, like eight waffles, five donuts, seven sticks and uh...twelve sausages."  
>   
> 'Up and to the right again.'  
>   
> Shen took a moment to nod, not surprised by the amount. From what Aegis had told him, he ate almost as much every morning. "Good, good. So tell me, have you noticed an increase in your appetite since you were given your powers or is this how you always eat?"  
>   
> Shaking his head, Greg swallowed another bite. "No, I eat a lot more now. I guess I need more fuel or something."  
>   
> 'Directly to the right, remembering sounds. Someone told him this.'  
>   
> "So, how long has your appetite been like this?"  
>   
> "A few weeks. Just under a month, I guess."  
>   
> 'True again.' Shen sat up in his chair and placed his tablet on his lap as Greg's messy eating led him to rip apart a few roast beef sandwiches, possibly growing tired of the egg salad. "So, tell me, Mr. Veder, what do you know about your powers? Tell me about them."  
>   
> "Uhh...don't you already know all this? We tested all...well, almost all of them."  
>   
> Dr. Shen chuckled softly. "Please, just humor me."  
>   
> Greg shrugged. "Okay, I guess...I'm strong, fast. I'm pretty tough, too. When I need to, I can make myself stronger by pushing...energy into my body," he said, his smile getting positively smug as he listed off his abilities, "I can shoot beams and blasts from my hands but they're kinda dangerous to people. My beams cut through things and my blasts explode things. I can make forcefields...sometimes and I also have really sharp hand-knives that glow and...uh...I can make things harder and sharper...as long as they can fit in my hand, at least."  
>   
> 'Up and to the right again, although he stumbled and his eyes shifted directly to the left for a moment. Remembering something but stopped himself?' "And you weren't always at this level of physical ability?"  
>   
> "No, when I got my powers, I could barely lift a couch up. The more I used them, the stronger they got. Except my Blaster powers, they just got more range."  
>   
> "Interesting," Shen noted, "and your Master ability? How does that work?"  
>   
> "I guess...it's like...when I get really angry," Greg raised a hand to his chest, unaware that he he also held a sandwich in that hand, "my chest starts to get real hot and it spreads all over, and then that energy makes it's way to my head and people start to get tense around me or they get really scared. My eyes go all red too, and my body heals faster."  
>   
> "Ah..." Shen made sure to make a note of that, inputting the information into his tablet. Greg was comfortable and rather relaxed around Shen, the way he held himself made that obvious. Now, how best to use that? "So, Mr. Veder, how long have you had your powers?"  
>   
> "...I...got them about a month ago. I...uh...triggered!" Greg began, his voice the same measure of hesitation and hurried speech often used when lying. "Yeah, I triggered when I was headed home and..."  
>   
> 'A slight pause, eyes looking up and to the left. About to lie.'  
>   
> "...and I got mugged by a bunch of ABB. One of them pulled his knife out on me and I thought I was gonna die but then I grabbed his hand and punched him away. And then...and then all the rest ran off and I was all excited 'cause I had powers." He flashed Shen a smile, slightly awkward yet somehow confident at the same time. "That's how it went down."  
>   
> 'Lies. Everything he just said was a lie. And not even a good one.' Shen returned Greg's smile, though his was a bit more warm and honest than Greg's. That was quite a feat considering that he was forcing said smile. "Mr. Veder, give me one second."  
>   
> Shen tapped a series of buttons on his tablet, sometimes just tapping the general area of the screen. He was well aware that all his tapping was doing nothing but the furious movement of his fingers gave the impression that he was doing something of importance. After nearly thirty seconds of furious tapping, he activated a setting on the device connected to the systems of the lab and sent the room into low power mode, dimming the lights and shutting down all the screens.  
>   
> "What? What's this all about, Dr. Shen?" Greg shouted as he glanced around, confused.  
>   
> Shen raised his hands in a calming gesture, trying to get the irritated young cape to relax. "Don't worry, Greg. I just sent the power to emergency in this room. That way, any cameras or listening devices in here won't work. I want this to be a private conversation between us." Shen almost winced at how easily the lies flowed from his mouth but he couldn't help it. Piggot had told him what he had to do.  
>   
> Greg's eyes widened and he whipped his head around the room. "Cameras? Listening devices? Why would those things be in the room?" he asked, his voice tense. His muscles clenched and a single hand tightened around the armrest of the metal chair he sat in, causing it to let out a screeching sound.  
>   
> "It _is_ a government facility, Mr. Veder," Shen replied, forcing himself to ignore the screech of metal. "To my knowledge, there are no listening devices in this room. Should there be any, my actions should render them useless." Again, he nearly winced. If there were any such devices in here, they would run on batteries and not be connected to the main power grid in any way.  
>   
> Greg visibly relaxed, tension fleeing from his muscles as he let go of the armrest. "So, why'd you do all this?" he asked, gesturing to the dim lighting.  
>   
> Shen adjusted his glasses, staring the young man in his bright blue eyes. "I know you didn't trigger, Mr. Veder."  
>   
> And like magic, the vanished tension reappeared. "H-huh? W-w-what do you mean?"  
>   
> Shen sighed. "Do you know what you sounded like when you told me that story, Mr. Veder?"  
>   
> Greg shook his head, prompting Dr. Shen to continue. "You sounded like every single cape fanatic I've ever met that found out about triggers. I've heard hundreds of stories like that. A trigger event is more than a scary moment. It is quite literally the worst episode in a person's life. You don't trigger simply from seeing a knife. When a person triggers, they fall unconscious. They certainly do not fight off an entire group at once."  
>   
> Greg's eyes widened even more, giving him the look of a deer in headlights, or more accurately, a liar who had been found out. "B-but I have powers."  
>   
> "Yes. Yes, you do. Do you know what a Corona Pollentia is, Mr. Veder?"  
>   
> "N-no."  
>   
> Shen placed his hands on the table and looked Greg in the eyes. "A Corona Pollentia is a small part of the brain, a growth that gives people the potential to trigger and get powers. If you don't have one, you don't get powers. Mr. Veder, you underwent a full-body scan. I know that you don't have one." Another lie. The machine was non-invasive, to a degree. It wasn't a CAT scanner. He had received that knowledge directly from Director Piggot herself, courtesy of Panacea. "Other than receiving powers from someone else, there is no possible way that you should be able to do what you can co. So I ask you, Mr. Veder, who gave you your powers?"  
>   
> Greg jumped up from his seat and dropped a half-eaten sandwich, face set in a grimace. "I-I don't know what you're talking about."  
>   
> Shen didn't make a move to get out of his seat. In fact, he barely even reacted at all to Greg's sudden movement, other than raising his eyebrows. "I believe you do. On the night you fought Lung, you wore a suit that could only be designed by a Tinker. Your entire biology, including your brain chemistry, is radically different from a regular persons, changed in ways that only a Bio-Tinker could without killing you. If you came down with a disease, I doubt any hospital on this planet could give you proper treatment. By normal definition, you're not a parahuman and by medical definition, you're definitely not a human."  
>   
> Oddly, Greg relaxed and smiled as Shen finished speaking. "And? I knew that? I mean, not the treatment stuff, but everything else...I know."  
>   
> Shen blinked in surprise. He had held the belief that Greg Veder had been unaware of how radically his physiology had been altered. Scaring him into giving up his benefactors seemed the most prudent option. "You...know?"  
>   
> "Yeah..." Greg replied, nodding. "I'm cool with it, too. At first, I was real freaked out but then I figured...I got powers, so might as well make the best of it."  
>   
> "Mr. Veder, you do not understand how dangerous this is," Shen began, "We cannot have unknown Bio-Tinkers running around modifying people like this. We especially can't have Tinkers giving away untested technology."  
>   
> "Look, Dr. Shen, you don't get it. It's a-"  
>   
> "No, it is you who doesn't get it, Mr. Veder," Shen interrupted. "This is a matter of public safety. How may other people do you think are being modified like this. This city could be overrun with capes as strong as you whose intentions are nowhere as heroic as yours seems to be. Do you understand the danger this Tinker poses?"  
>   
> "Hey!" yelled Greg, fists clenched. "Ev would never do something like that. He gave me powers for a reason!"  
>   
> Shen sat back in his chair, mind racing at the slip. 'Ev? What could that stand for? Evolve? Evolution?'  
>   
> "Who's Ev, Mr. Veder?"  
>   
> Greg stared at Shen, eyes wide and his mouth open in surprise.  
>   
> "I want to leave," Greg announced.  
>   
> "Mr. Veder..."  
>   
> "No. I didn't commit a crime. You can't keep me here. I want to leave." Greg said with finality, glaring at the scientist with a blank expression.  
>   
> Shen stood up and placed his tablet on the table, careful to avoid the mess Greg had caused while eating. "If that's what you want."  
>   
> Greg's frown became more pronounced and a flash of red appeared in his eyes for an instant, his fists clenched tightly enough that Shen heard a knuckle crack. "It is."  
>   
> "V-very well, then." The scientist walked to the large blast doors with Greg a few paces in front of him. The two walked in tense silence, with Shen stealing occasional glances at Greg as he wondered if he should have eased the pressure up a bit on the questioning. He was grateful that Vahlen had chosen to take the hint and decided to catch up on her sleep. 'If she had been the one doing the questioning, I wouldn't be surprised if Mr. Veder would actually have struck her.'  
>   
> Shen brought out his keycard and prepared to enter it into the door. Before the card even entered the slot, he stopped and pulled his hand back, one question still on his mind. By his side, Greg cast a glance at the older Chinese man, a mixture of confusion and annoyance clear on his face. "What's wrong? Aren't you gonna open it?"  
>   
> Shen turned to face Greg, an odd expression on his face. "Will you do me the favor of answering one more question?" As Greg's expression became twisted into irritation, Shen spoke again. "Please, it's not about anything important. It's just something that I need to know."  
>   
> Greg sighed in resignation, his breath making a soft whistling noise as it left him. "Fine..."  
>   
> Dr. Shen adjusted his glasses again, looking the slightly taller boy in the eye. "If you had another chance, would you kill Lung?"  
>   
> Greg did a double take at the question at the question, nearly stumbling back in shock. "Uh...uh...what?" he faltered, blinking rapidly.  
>   
> Raymond stepped forward, his intense gaze boring into the boy. "If you had another chance at Lung, would you finish the job?"  
>   
> "N-no, I wouldn't. I wouldn't kill someone like that," he replied, somewhat shakily.  
>   
> "Really? You nearly killed Lung already. In fact, I was surprised he wasn't dead when they brought him in. What would make a second time any different?"  
>   
> "T-that was...different. It w-wasn't the way you're...making it...sound, okay," began Greg hesitantly, crossing his arms over his bare chest. "H-he was a danger to people. I wasn't trying to kill him. H-h-he just got hurt...fighting me. That's it. I'm not that kind of person."  
>   
> The doctor raised an eyebrow at Greg's statement, unsure that the boy believed his own words. "What kind of person are you, then? The kind of person who would amputate someone's arm, crack open his skull till his brain hemorrhaged, and gouge out his eyeballs? If you're not a killer, then what are you? What were you trying to do if not kill Lung?"  
>   
> Greg recovered from his shock and blinked a few more times before turning aside, a look of deep thought etched on his face. A few seconds later, he turned to face Shen, eyes blazing. "I was trying to kill him but...that **was** different. I was excited, manic, you know...caught up in the moment. I was just trying not to die. I wouldn't just kill someone for no reason. I'm not crazy." Oddly, despite his red eyes, Shen felt no fear from them.  
>   
>  Shen's stare seemed to intensify as Greg spoke and his gray eyes became positively sharp in their gaze, wiping away any pretense of a jolly old man. "No reason? You think someone like Lung has not earned a reason to be killed? Really, Mr. Veder? I thought you knew better than that. I definitely thought that you were better than these heroes", Shen spat the term out violently,"here. I lived in China for years before I came here and I learned many things from my homeland. The most important of those being that a hero does whatever it takes to protect his people, no matter the cost. I wouldn't think you would give your sympathy to a power hungry villain that deserves an end to his depravity," he bit out with an insincere smile, his tone just as sharp as his gaze.  
>   
> Greg stared down Dr. Shen in return even as the doctor smiled at him, his normally soft blue eyes now a bright scarlet and just as piercing as the older man's. "It doesn't matter if he deserves it. I'm fifteen years old and I've been a hero for five days. I don't think I have the right to kill anybody. Where the hell do you get off asking me that type of question anyway? Why do you want me to kill him?"  
>   
> The doctor stared at Greg for a few moments more and Greg met his gaze, unwilling to flinch. Shen's eyes seemed to be scanning him, almost as if he was looking for something or in some way measuring his worth. Shen slowly rolled up the sleeve of his lab coat, allowing Greg to see a large red dragon curling up the old man's unusually muscular arms.  
>   
> After a moment of hard staring, Greg tore his eyes away to look at Shen and noticed the man had been looking at him the entire time, not even glancing down at his arm.  
>   
> "Ah, well...I apologize if I offended you," Shen said, smile still plastered on his face. "It appears we hold different values. As expected, really. Different generations, different cultures and all that. Frankly, I'd be surprised if we were more alike." Greg said nothing, simply staring at the old man in confusion.  
>   
> "Well, let's get you out of here." Raymond entered his keycard into the slot and seconds later, the door opened to show two PRT guards standing by the walls. "Would one of you mind escorting Mr. Veder from the building?"  
>   
> "I'll handle it, sir." The one on the left turned to look at Greg and gestured for him to follow. As the guard walked down the hallway, Greg followed right behind him but after a few seconds, he stopped and gave Dr. Shen one last questioning glance over his shoulder.  
>   
> Raymond stared at Greg as he walked away, his smile still not quite reaching his eyes. "Goodbye, Mr. Veder. I hope that you'll take my words into consideration," he spoke out loud. "I'll make sure to send you your results." Greg gave a hesitant nod and turned away, hurrying after the guard.  
>   
> Shen walked back inside the O.R, his false smile falling away to leave only a somber expression. He rolled up his sleeve again, giving a long look at the head and neck of the scarlet fire-breathing dragon that covered most of his torso. "It is what's best."


End file.
